


Bleeding Love

by Blu3Wind



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Dark, F/M, Fantasy, Original Character(s), Romance, Smut, Superpowers, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:33:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 97,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22290379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blu3Wind/pseuds/Blu3Wind
Summary: In a world where vampires ruled the nation and humans were treated as slaves, one of the top assassins by the name of Choi Yeonji made it her goal to kill the vampire crown prince, Baekhyun, and see humanity to salvation. Little did she know that she was the crown prince's soulmate. And if one dies, the soulmate always dies along.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 35





	1. Attention

Today was the day I would kill the crown prince, Baekhyun.

I have lived my entire life awaiting this exact moment. My childhood had been filled with intense training that was too brutal for a child, too beastly for a woman, and too magical for a mere commoner. Living in a world where vampires were in control branded a human, such as myself, a slave.

However, I was different. I did not understand the concept of failing, and my sole existence was to reign over victory itself. I would be the first female assassin to succeed an attempted murder at a royal family member.

Now, one would expect my legacy to appear in the form of a black hooded figure running around the rooftop, or as a swordwielder barging in with an entire army. Those methods became foolproof over the years. Too many people attempted getting their hands on the royal family, failed, and weren’t spared mercy. Their heads were displayed around the castle walls as a cruel reminder for future pursuers.

Did it work? Not at all.

I was living proof of their failed threat. Here I was, readying myself for the slaughter. Instead of a hooded cloak, I wore the dress of a temptress. A short magenta top concealed most of my body, leaving enough exposure to trigger the perverted crown prince’s dirty mind. My silky skirt extended to the floor, embellished with a deep long cut at the right side that left the skin of my upper thigh bare. Instead of blades, I wielded feathered fans. Instead of a mask, I wore a small veil of sheer over my scarlet lips.

Lo and behold, the outfit of Baekhyun’s assassin.

The royal family had this sickening tradition to gift a woman to the crown prince on the first night of every month. These women were selected from pleasure houses and dance troupes, thus explaining my reason for dressing up like a high class harlot while joining an infamous dance troupe. Apparently, half the girls here had slept with the crown prince before.

Tonight, I was determined to get selected, but the pleasure would solely be mine for the taking.

My thoughts were interrupted when a sudden horn blasted through the grand ballroom to announce the royal’s arrival. My hands clenched, hovering over the knife I fastened around my thigh, concealed by the long skirt. How I yearned to stab him with it.

The king entered first in a lonesome march. For a man who had accumulated a deadly disease and was counting down his days, he looked too healthy for my taste. No coughing, no sleep deprived expression, no pale skin—well, aside from the fact that all vampires were pale to begin with. Could the rumor of his sickness be fabricated?

He glanced at his side, the empty spot once occupied by the late queen. She passed away several years ago, and I still celebrated the anniversary of her death. Don’t get me wrong, she was a wicked witch. According to rumors, the late queen was the one who suggested decorating the castle walls with heads of the deceased. Sickening woman. No wonder the Fates hadn’t chosen her as the king’s true mate.

Behind him was the eldest prince Minseok, and my lips curled into a smile at once, softening the murderous reaction I had for the rest of his family. His blue hair resembled the picturesque landscape of a clear lake after a storm, contrasting the red hue of his enticing eyes. His skin looked blanched out compared to other vampires. Dark circles surrounded his eyes which to human translated to exhaustion, but for a vampire bore no meaning. Even in his imperfect state, I had never seen a creature as ethereal as him.

He was the reason for my lifelong wonderment: could vampires and humans be together? I knew humans were seen as useless objects, only capable of feeding, nursing, and satisfying a partner in the bedroom. But Minseok never conformed to such thoughts. He treated humans with kindness and compassion, perceiving us for what we could be instead of the judgement placed upon us.

In fact, he was the reason I stood here today. If anyone deserved the throne, it would be him.

My fervent thoughts returned to reality when I saw Baekhyun appear; my enemy, my target, my trophy. He was ridiculously handsome even by vampire standards, especially with that smugness crafted all over his pretty face. The teasing gaze of his shimmering red eyes seemed to bear a secret that required a woman’s touch to unravel. Jerk. He knew exactly how to get women to want him. My task tonight was getting him to want me.

At last, the youngest prince, Jongdae, appeared. A gruesome expression was permanently imprinted on his face, something along the lines of arrogance, confidence, and malice. Aside from myself, I believed Jongdae bore enough cruelty to kill the crown prince. Perhaps he already planned an ambush for the day of the official coronation, not knowing I would beat him to it.

The four royal vampires took their seat at the golden throne, eyes roaming over the empty dance floor. A palace worker soon cued us to start our performance, rushing us to sashay our way to the center of the grand ballroom.

It was showtime.

An exotic string of instruments began to play a tune, characterized by a middle eastern influence. I supposed that was the reason for our Arabian Night dress up today. Either way, it worked to my advantage. The less I wore, the easier it would be to entice the pervert prince.

I did not care for the other dancers who were in fact trained performers, and focused on my own show. Well, so much for focusing. Nearly five seconds into the song and I stepped on my skirt, nearly tripping over my own foot. In my defense, I was formally trained in battlefield combats, not in royal vampire entertainment.

However, my faux pas attracted Baekhyun’s gaze to fall upon me, regarding me with those brimming red eyes that sparkled brighter than a polished ruby. His lips remained a thin line, and I realized I had underestimated him. He was hard to read, heightening my desire to break his defenses. At the end of the day, a man was still a sucker for women.

I swayed my hip from side to side in an agonizingly taunting manner. With it I added several movements that would flawlessly expose the bare skin of my leg. I pulled the silk fabric upward to give him something to fantasize over. As I watched his shoulder rise with a twitching desire, I twirled around to cover myself like a proper lady.

For the rest of the performance, I was certain Baekhyun kept his eyes fixed on me. I concealed my growing smirk behind the veil, craving his attention for a different reason than the other dancers. For a moment, it seemed the world belonged to the two of us; me and him, predator and prey.

The music stopped, but the tumultuous beating of my heart continued to drum against my chest. It was the adrenaline rush of knowing I would be a step closer to my lifelong goal. My aim was to save humanity, to get Minseok on the throne. To achieve that, Baekhyun had to be removed from the picture.

“What a splendid performance,” the king spoke, babbling the same standardized speech for nearly a decade now. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, enduring the formal nonsense no one cared about, only jolting back to life when the highlight of the night came.

“I shall give the honor to the crown prince to select a woman of his choosing to accompany him in the royal chamber tonight,” the king‘s voice boomed with the authority of a wise elderly man. Except that the subject of his speech hadn’t been one filled with wisdom.

This was it. Normally I gagged at the debauchery of this entire messed up system. I never should’ve expected a moral compass from a bunch of vampires and decided to go along with it. I held my head up high, unintentionally squeezing my arms together to give more volume to my cleavage. My body was a weapon I knew how to wield as well as I wielded my knives.

Baekhyun’s eyes trailed over every single dancer in the room, and I could hear them disgustingly giggle like little schoolgirls beside me. Then he looked at me, and I swore his lips tilted to an impish grin, looking as daunting as it was inviting. The mere gaze had my heart race faster, gauging a sudden expectation to be selected.

“I choose her,” Baekhyun then said, pointing his beautiful slender finger towards a woman that was not me.

I frowned. My impatience got the better of me as I stepped out of line and shouted a protest. “You can’t!”

The statement of public opposition not only earned me Baekhyun’s attention, but everyone else’s. I really should’ve thought things through. Sometimes, I suppose having no plan was the plan.

“Oh?” Baekhyun questioned with a delirious tone that toyed at my trespass, knowing he bore the ability to give me a death sentence if he commanded it. His eyes traveled from my feet, lingered on my chest, then returned on my face. “And why is that?”

“Because…” I bit my lips, hoping to elongate time as I racked my brain for a plausible answer. My eyes furtively went to the eldest prince, wishing for him to have answers, but Minseok regarded me a stranger. I was on my own.

“If the crown prince wishes to experience an unforgettable night, I’d be the only person with the ability to exceed your wildest fantasies,” I reasoned, lowering my voice to enhance the flirty tone.

Baekhyun raised his eyebrows, seemingly enthralled by my empty promise. However, there was something more to his satisfied glint, as if he had expected me to protest, expected me to fight for him. Was this a test?

The prince moved from his spot, heading my way. In front of everyone, he traced those long fingers along my cheek, tilting my chin towards his face. I froze at his cold touch.

“What is your name?”

“Choi Yeonji,” I gulped down my answer.

He let go of me, his grin growing more twisted in a way that seemed neither human nor vampire, ready to devour me in ways I did not dare think of. “Well, it seems I’ve changed my mind. I’ll be waiting in the room, Choi Yeonji.”

The way he said my name brought chills down my spine, and I could hardly remember to breath until he had turned his back to me. My eyes scanned my surrounding, seeing the scornful looks from fellow dancers, the lusty gazes from other male vampires, and the indifferent expression from the royal family.

Reality sucked me in. I did it.

Baekhyun was as good as dead tonight.


	2. Attack

Expectations and reality were two completely different things, and I never should’ve underestimated the latter.

A royal guard led me to the chamber where the crown prince and I were supposed to engage in the passionate act of love making. It hit me then. How far did I have to take it before I could plunge my knife right into his beating heart? The plan was to ambush him in his sleep, but clearly, I forgot to take into account what happened _before_ the sleep.

Darn my hands for trembling. I had to grip my wrist using my other hand, attempting to stop the tremor with extra force. Every step I pranced towards the room was a step closer to my heart caving in. I would never admit this out loud, but the fearsome assassin was afraid.

“I will take it from here,” a familiar voice rang.

My head jolted up, hope wove its way back to my bleak mind as Minseok appeared. His voice had always been a sweet salvation to me, but never had it lulled me to serenity as it did this very moment.

Minseok used his authority to send the guard away, ensuring the corridor was cleared before he turned to me with scrunched eyebrows. “Are you well, Yeonji? You are trembling,” he observed, taking my hands without permission. The touch was deprived of any warmth, and I welcomed the chill wholeheartedly.

“Do I have to _please_ him?” I emphasized the word with derision, crushing my lips together to a revolted pout.

The eldest prince stared at me with surprise before he started to laugh a crisp sound, entering my ears like fervent music. “I thought you might be worried, so I have prepared a gift for you.”

The moment he released me, I realized he passed me a small square of wrapped up paper during his hold. It rattled a little as I shook it, like sand against paper. So I brought it to my nose, analyzing the olfactory clues I could derive from it. There was barely a scent, but the indication of a faint smell meant it wasn’t poison. Another whiff exposed the sweet smell of mineral water which many people believed to be odorless. I recognized this.

“Sleep powder.”

“Yes,” he nodded, wrapping his fingers around mine to wrap my fingers around the item. “It may assist you.”

I quickly stored it inside my top, praying the crown prince wouldn’t touch this sacred area of mountains and valleys. The motion had Minseok looking away with an awkward cough as he continued escorting me to my destination.

“If you need anything, I’ll be in my study room there.” Minseok pointed at one of the smallest and humblest door along the entire hallway.

“Is it possible to undo this?” I asked hopefully, regretting my actions only after I had done it. The look on his face hardened, clearly indicating a no can do.

“Stay safe,” was his final instruction as we shared a meaningful glance. I could feel the genuinity laced in his tone, and suppressed myself from grinning like an infatuated woman. I had a crown prince to kill. If I managed to bring Baekhyun’s head on a silver platter, perhaps Minseok would look at me differently.

The door before me did not lead to an ordinary room, but to a battlefield that foretold the fate of the human race. I took a deep breath, chanting a prayer of victory, and entered.

The room was empty.

Strange.

I scanned the entire place for any peculiar activities. Being human limited me to the five senses of touch, sight, taste, hearing, and smell, whereas vampires had access to a gazillion other senses beyond that. I had to remain cautious even during the time of his absence, not knowing where he might be lurking.

The bed was comfortably fluffed. All pillows were neatly stacked with no indication of it being slept on. An eerie silence accompanied the room, and as far as I knew, out of the gazillion other senses the vampire possessed, stealth was not one of them. Perhaps I _was_ all by myself.

My eyes swiftly studied the room, seeing a harmless looking glass of water on top of the nightdesk. It seemed almost too inviting, as if it had been a trick all along. His absence unsettled me, and I hesitantly moved to the nightdesk. To pour or not to pour in the sleeping powder? If this was a trap, I’d be doomed. But if he was truly gone, it would’ve been a wasted opportunity. I supposed, I could deal with the consequences later.

My fingers no longer trembled when I retrieved the wrapped paper from my top. I quickly worked to unwrap it, about to pour the content into the glass, when a sudden footstep caught my attention.

“What have we got here?” The chilling voice of the crown prince greeted me with surprise. My fingers used an old magician trick to shove the wrapper behind my fingers, too quick for his eyes to catch. As I turned around to meet his hot gaze, I quickly shoved the wrapper down my skirt.

From up close, Baekhyun was more beautiful than I had given him credit for. A bold dark line enhanced the shape of his eyes, molding him into a twisted creature who was undeniably a feast to the eyes. His lush lips mashed into a grin that regarded me with amusement, slightly parted so I could peek at his canine vampire teeth. Humans no longer feared those teeth; blood sucking vampires were history.

“Where were you?” I tried to steer the conversation to another topic, feeling the voice crack under my breath. At least I didn’t stutter or tremble. I showed my confidence by looking him straight in the eyes, finding a gaze that lured me to a sudden yearning. Damn, I forgot some vampires bore hypnotic abilities.

“I was here all along,” Baekhyun answered with a smile he was not supposed to be capable of forming. It was wicked, it was vicious, and too attractive for his own good.

As I found myself in a state of a semi trance, the crown prince closed in on me, backing me against the wall. He roughly pressed himself on me, freezing me with the cold temperature of his body. Somehow, that spurred on an entirely new sensation.

“You need to work on your deception,” Baekhyun hissed, his cold fingers finding its way back to my chin. He gripped me, harder than before, bringing himself closer to my mouth. Then he parted his lips, whispering in a hot and husky whisper. “Give me one good reason not to kill you right now.”

I flinched, and he must’ve felt the movement, for a cruel smirk grew over his face. It was a stupid amateur mistake, and I hated him for depleting my trained self control. The initial plan was out of question. Time to improvise.

“Whatever perception you have of me, I stand by my words. I am the only one who can give you what you deserve,” I replied with a whisper as equally provocative as his. Now I traced my fingers along the lines of his arm, feeling every ripple of chiseled muscles against my fingertip. The more I tried to taunt him, the more agony I brought on myself. My heart despised him, but my body cultivated an undeniable desire for him.

“Oh yeah? And what may that be?” He asked, enjoy the visible breakdown on my face.

_Death_.

“Whatever you want,” I voiced, my fingers reaching the back of his neckline, warmth meeting cold. I could get used to this odd sensation.

Baekhyun quirked an eyebrow, appealed by my offer. He slightly pushed himself away, trailing his bright red eyes over my entire body, licking his lower lip in a smoldering manner.

“I want you out of that outfit,” he said.

The hormones in me were more than willing to comply, but my logic reminded me of the knife strapped around my upper thigh. Even if the initial plan failed, I still needed my blade to fulfil the mission.

“Then make me,” I retaliated a reply I had not expected. But the prince looked completely intrigued by my challenge.

Without warning, he pushed his mouth against me, grabbing my face between his hands to ensure I wouldn’t escape. Little did he know, I had little to no self control to resist him. Human beings were weak in many ways; physically, emotionally, and sexually. He devoured my lips with passion, groaning into my mouth to release a mind numbing sensation. He sucked on my bottom lip next, stirring an anticipation that soon, he would do so with other parts of my body too.

Then he released my lips, flashing me a devilish grin of satisfaction as I gasped, and proceeded to suck on my neck.

“Oh, God,” I rasped, not knowing it would feel so good. I had no fear of him trying to suck my blood, but the sensation of his smacking lips and rolling tongue intrigued me to find out. I grabbed his hair, pushing his head closer against my neck, wanting more, wanting to feel him against me.

His hand began caressing my thigh, moving higher underneath the long skirt. I held my breath, feeling my chest grow heavy at the anticipation of his foreign touch. His fingers trailed higher and closer to the thin fabric of my pants, feeling the entirety of his large hands parting my legs.

I drew a breath, clenching my fingers against his shirt. I had no idea what to expect, except that I wanted it. I wanted his fingers to brush over me. To touch me in places I had never experienced before. Who knew I’d have such a desire for the man I was supposed to kill?

He kissed me again, and I was surprised at how easily I welcomed it. The combination of his lips and his hand that brushed over my legs made me lose my mind. His fingers skillfully trailed against my bare skin, removing something from my body. I felt it slide off my legs with ease, staring absentmindedly as he pulled away. In my state of raw desperation, I saw Baekhyun holding the item in his hand like a prized possession, grinning sinisterly at me.

My knife.

“As I said, you need to work on your deception,” he said with a playful tone that was not at all alarmed at the fact I had been armed. “Is this the only weapon, or do you have more in store for me?”

I pressed my lips, cursing at myself for being manipulated through this cursed sexual desire. It must be his hypnosis at work. Never before had I fallen so low in my attempted assassinations.

“Ah, your silence implies you want me to search you myself,” Baekhyun sang, moving his hands to lift the hem of my top before I quickly slapped him away.

“Don’t touch me!”

“It’s a little too late for that, isn’t it?” He cocked his head to look at me as if I had made a joke. Well, my hypocrisy was quite a laughingstock, indeed.

“You used your powers on me!” I can’t believe I was playing the blame game with him when I really should’ve cracked his skull open by now. My knife was in his hand, and based on the way he carelessly twirled it around, I could easily snatch it back. Then again, if he possessed inhuman agility, I was doomed for another failure.

His lips twisted into a devious grin. “Would you like me to pleasure you one more time before I take your life?”

“Disgusting,” I spat. My body, however, had an entirely different response to his offer.

“Very well.”

Baekhyun twirled my knife around his fingers in a manner that required proper training to achieve. I had underestimated the enemy once again. Aside from his debauchery living style, he knew how to defend himself. If the way he kissed hadn’t impressed me enough, the way he handled my knife was intriguing itself.

“I suppose we have to do it the painful way then.”

In a flash, he had the knife pointed to my stomach, letting it hover there as I pathetically drew my breath in to distance myself from its silver tip.

This was not how I thought my story would end. It had only just begun and I couldn't possibly fail here. My mind sought for alternative ways, wondering if I could outmaneuver him, or escape through the nearby window, or push him away, or anything.

“For what it’s worth, you did give me an unforgettable night, Yeonji.”

He thrusted the knife into my stomach in a slow and painful manner, inching deeper to tear my skin and flesh apart. My mind emptied itself from any thoughts, only thinking of the slice that tortured me, extracting an excruciating cry of pain. But the bastard would not even allow that. He pressed his hand over my mouth and dampened my tormented pleas into muffled screams. My head felt dizzy, hearing trinket of droplets drizzling against the floor. A puddle of red collected around us. I’ve lost too much blood to fight back now.

Then, to my greatest surprise, I heard him groan all of a sudden as his grip around me loosened.

My vision had blurred, but through my sweat and tears, I saw him stumble backwards. He held his palms open, closely examining it for something I failed to see. The knife was still penetrated inside me, and with every last bit of energy, I exerted more force to pull it out. The blood made my hand slip away from the hold several times. When my leverage steadied, I began to haul it out of myself, crying out as the knife sliced its way back up.

I discarded the bloody item to the floor, unable to hear the clattering noise that should’ve followed. My strength to remain standing gave away, and I slipped to the floor like a corpse. The energy to remain awake slowly departed me.

My head lulled back, and from my decaying vision I saw the image of Baekhyun pressing a hand over his stomach, grabbing it as if something had hurt him in the same manner he hurt me. No blood was spilled except for mine. He cried, but I knew he wasn’t crying for me.

As I closed my eyes, the last vision I had was of Baekhyun collapsing unto the floor.


	3. Revelation

I never knew heaven would take on the form of the last image I saw before dying. Then again, being greeted by the brimming red eyes of the vampire prince made me think I was in hell instead. He kept his expression devoid of any emotion, no playfulness or hatred embedded within, simply studying me as if I was an interesting meal to him. The way my heart raced in panic felt very much alive.

I wasn’t dead yet.

At this point, perhaps death was a more appealing alternative. The moment I tried to move, I realized my hands were stretched above my head, bound together using a three cord rope against the huge chandelier in the middle of his room. My entire body stood erect, forced to rest my exhaustion against my tied up wrist. To make it worse, I was still dressed in that skanky dancer’s outfit. Pretty sure this was the fantasy scenario many women dreamed of.

“You’re awake,” Baekhyun spoke. His voice was uncharacteristically stern, absent from any flirtatious tone. Yet, those two single syllables hushed in a low tremor made me weak to the knees.

“You’re alive,” I mumbled, glaring hard at him. Somehow, that made him grin, as if stating my miserable failure had amused him.

“Why do you suppose you would be capable of accomplishing what thousands have failed to achieve?” He leaned backwards on his arms, and slightly winced. Even if it were for a split second, I saw it. Remembering the image of Baekhyun crouching in pain before I passed out—as delirious as it was—was a key moment worth looking into. I could use this to my advantage.

“Why do you suppose I would entertain you with answers?” I questioned back with a scoff. The small movement contracted my muscles, and I felt a stinging pain in my abdomen. I looked down to see a blob of dried up blood collected around my torn open skin. Apparently, the bastard was no gentleman and took greater pleasure tying his woman up rather than bandaging an open cut. Frozen trails of blood ran all the way down my legs, and I realized how lucky I was to be alive despite the amount blood I had lost. This wound had to be washed and treated soon before I catch an infection.

My head snapped upwards as my hands wriggled. I was not trying to free myself, but was merely testing and studying his method of confining me. I recognized it as a constrictor knot, one of the most difficult and impossible knots to untie. However, he made one faux pas. A three cord rope was thicker, and thus easier to loosen no matter how tight he had looped it. I knew how to untie it even with my eyes closed. Minseok taught me.

“I didn’t think you would answer at your own accord, so I had to opt for a tortuous method instead,” Baekhyun said arrogantly.

I sneered at him, suppressing the pain in my abdomen. “Believe me, Your Highness, this is hardly torture. Many women would love to be in my position.”

“I know,” Baekhyun replied, moving to his feet. A part of me wished I hadn’t taunted the lion. He was smaller built compared to the average vampire, but I could only imagine the chiseled body concealed behind his white blouse. He still towered over me, leaving little space between us to remind me of last night’s rendezvous. He experimentally trailed his fingers up my thigh, and I hitched a breath. Damn.

“I never defined what my torturous method pertained to,” he whispered, too close to my earlobes. Parts of my bodies began to throb, and I don’t mean just my heart. “I like to please people.”

He was starting to hypnotize me again and I had to act fast. While his eyes were on my face—his lips dangerously close, and his breath tickling my skin—my wrist skillfully moved to loosen the knots without moving my entire arm.

“Intriguing. We could take turns, and _I_ could show you how I torture my victims.” I managed to control my voice despite my movements.

“Huh, so I must not be your first victim?” He asked, pressing himself closer against my body. I felt his cold fingers run along the bare skin of my waist, circling around my wound that had me curious of where those fingers would roam to next, but also afraid of those fingers ripping open my wound.

“Again, I do not see the need to answer you,” I repeated. Without looking up, I felt the ropes starting to loosen.

“Tell me who you work for and I might spare you,” he said, his fingers more demanding when he gripped unto my waist, trailing upwards to the hem of my top. He moved closer to my neck and began planting kisses, his lips grazing over the tender parts of my skin. I may have whimpered a little, may have slightly given in to his kisses, and may have arched my neck to allow him more access. If this was his idea of torture, I am not sure I opposed too much.

Damn, his powers controlled me again.

“I’d rather you kill me instead.” It was meant to be threatening, but as my neck was being pleasingly assaulted, it came out as a moan instead. I had to work faster with this rope.

“Trust me, sweetheart, I tried,” he said, sucking a part of my skin that made me lose all rational abilities to think. My entire body crumbled under his touch in a manner that undignified my reputation. I had to remain focused.

Only now did his words register in my mind. Technically, he could kill me, _did_ kill me, but failed to do so. He had no reason to spare me the same way Minseok would bestow mercy upon prisoners. Neither would he elongate my death for the sake of pleasure as Jongdae was known for.

Something was odd, but I did not linger on those thoughts when the ropes finally came undone.

“Well, Your Highness, it seems you should’ve tried harder.”

I clenched the rope in my hand, twirling my fingers around both ends. In one swift motion, I constricted it around Baekhyun’s neck, registering the surprise on his face. I crossed my arms to opposing ends, twisting the rope that now prevented him from taking another breath of air. His pupils dilated in panic, and his lips hung on a silent scream. I had the most inappropriate desire to kiss those lips shut, to ensure he would not be able to inhale through his mouth and end up dying from asphyxiation.

Clearly, I should not have underestimated the prince again. From behind, he retrieved a knife to cut the rope free in two quick slashes. Unbelievable. It was _my_ knife! My own weapon betrayed me for the second time.

“You should have downgraded your confidence,” he said, a cruel grin haunting his sinister face. He grabbed me by the arms and pushed me to the floor, crawling on top of me with my wrist pinned to the ground. Those ravenous eyes glimmered more vicious than before, as if he was unable to contain his hatred and yearned for nothing more than to unleash it on me. Part of me anticipated his cruelty.

I tried to free myself, but realized he was much stronger. His knees continued to hold my legs spread to the floor, disabling it as a weapon. So instead, I used the only other body part I had left. I headbutt him, hard.

“Argh!” Baekhyun flinched, instead of releasing me, he pressed his forehead against my chest to sustain the sting instead. “That hurt, woman!”

“It was supposed to.”

I attempted another attack when suddenly, I heard the door click open.

A man and a female appeared, both looking surprised and embarrassed at the scene. Well, couldn’t really blame them. Seeing a girl pinned beneath a man who leaned his head against her breasts was bound to bring suspicions.

“W-We apologize for the interruption, Your Highness. Would you prefer us to return later?” the female spoke, her red eyes awkwardly trailing on anything but the suggestive position the prince and I found ourselves in.

“That’s alright, Mira. Your timing is impeccable.” Baekhyun moved away from me, forcefully yanking my arm to get up. He ignored my groan, looking mildly interested when I wrapped my arm over my wound. Because of my loud noise—a clever distraction—he did not notice my foot carefully stepping on my knife, quietly dragging it toward me across the floor.

“Clean up that bloody mess, Lay,” he commanded, nudging toward me.

The female, Mira I assumed, remained still. It was her male companion who approached me, and I held the knife covered underneath the sole of my ballet shoes. “Please excuse me.”

I wasn’t sure whether to let him touch me or not, but he answered on my behalf. His hands hovered over my wound, and as his fingers moved like a puppeteer controlling his marionette, I saw strings of white orbs forming from his fingers. The dazzling light moved toward my skin, dispersing to regenerate every dead cell. The pain began to disappear, but the cut remained visible. I heard of vampires who bore the power to heal, but they were extremely rare to find.

When he stepped away, I began stretching and bending my body with the excuse of testing out my recovery. Truthfully, I was grabbing the knife from the floor, quickly strapping it against my legs without their knowledge. To them, I was still doing a checkup exercise.

“Thank you! I feel much better.” I grinned at Lay, straightening myself up.

The man did not speak, simply nodding at me before he took his stance beside the female. This entire set up was strange, and I kept watching Baekhyun for any clues. Why would he heal me? It wasn’t the crown prince’s nature to act out of benevolence.

“I called you here to enlighten me regarding this bizarre situation,” Baekhyun interrupted my thought. “This human tried to kill me.”

Noticing he had a finger pointed at me, I grinned and waved at the two newcomers. “Hi.”

“So I stabbed her before she could attempt an assassination,” he continued.

“That is not very gentleman-like, Your Highness,” Mira interrupted, but quickly silenced herself when the prince glowered at her.

I scoffed under my breath, earning a glare from Baekhyun who continued his tale. I kinda like Mira already.

“All of a sudden, I felt a weird pain in my body that strangely enough mirrored the place I had stabbed her at,” he said, pointing at his own abdomen.

Ah, this was the image I had seen before I lost consciousness. Baekhyun was in pain although I hadn’t done anything. Perhaps he had more enemies I didn’t know of, and we all shared the common goal of delivering his pretty head on a silver platter.

“What could it possibly mean?” Mira asked.

I saw Baekhyun press his lips together, suppressing his rising anger. “Mira, _you’re_ the prophetess. You’re supposed to be the one explaining this weird phenomenon to me.”

A prophetess? Yet another weird power to wield among their powerful race. These types of vampire bore power to look into the future and had been granted greater wisdom beyond the norm. The more I was surrounded by their species, the more inadequate I felt as a human being.

“Right,” Mira began humming to herself. She then turned to me, inspecting me from head to toe, making a disgusted face when she noticed my lower part entirely covered in blood. “She is human, isn’t she?”

“Alas,” I answered, not knowing why I willingly engaged in this conversation.

“Well, I only have one theory for this explanation, but I am not sure how it would apply to this situation considering you two aren’t of the same kind.”

I squinted my eyes, feeling myself lowering my guard. My eyes automatically trailed to Baekhyun, seeing the same expression on his face. Confusion.

“There is a phenomenon whereby two people are able to experience each other’s pain. This would explain why you were able to channel her wound as your own, Your Highness. Though as far as my knowledge extends, this can only be experienced by vampires.”

I frowned as Baekhyun folded his arms in anticipation of the prophetess’ words.

“You are bound together as each other’s soulmate.”

The statement was so ridiculous I could hardly voice out a laughter. I read about this in one of the ancient history books. The Fates allowed vampires to have a soulmate, but took the “two become one” vow a little too literal. Aside from the obvious impact the prophetess had explained, being soulmates came with another deadly consequence that would change my fate with the vampire crown prince forever.

When one dies, the other dies along.


	4. Captive

No, no, no, _no_.

This had to be a sick practical joke they were playing on me. I refused to believe I was the crown prince’s soulmate. Heck, I refused to believe he even had a soulmate. The way he slept with women more often than he changed his clothes—because yes, I had observed him for the past few months and hadn’t seen him wear anything but that damned white blouse—omitted him from the ability to commit to one woman.

And that woman was most definitely not me.

When I opted to protest, I realized from my peripheral vision that Baekhyun had been watching me. His gaze slightly hardened with a mixture of juxtaposing emotions; he was as appalled as he was intrigued, confused as he was curious.

“Thank you, you may both leave us,” Baekhyun dismissed his two subjects, his eyes never trailed away from me. There was a fiery intensity that held me still, and I wondered whether it was his hypnosis at work again. Thankfully, I felt no heightened desire for him.

“Well, this revelation sure thwarts your plan, doesn’t it?” Baekhyun asked, inching closer toward me, smirking down as if I was prey.

And there it was. My breathing staggered as I looked at him, studying those plum lips and what they were capable of. Did all vampire ooze such sexuality or was it only him?

“What do you mean?”

“I assume that whoever you worked for told you to annihilate me. However, now that we’re _soulmates_ , it will be much more complicated.”

My eyes widened. The thought had faintly haunted the back of my mind, but only after he said it out loud did I realize how doomed I was. Not only had I failed the assassination, allowed myself to get stabbed, and actually enjoyed kissing him, now I couldn’t kill him without it being a suicide mission.

“First, I work for no one.” The lie easily slipped off my tongue. “Second, you must not know whom you are dealing with. I take pleasure in pain.”

A wicked grin mushed on his lips as he brushed a finger over my lips. “I take pleasure in pleasuring you.”

Then he slid his hands down, gliding over the thin fabric of my top, all the way over my bare torso. I immediately shivered from his cold touch. He took my hands in his, and I lost a part of myself again. Why did this keep happening? Not that I was protesting; it felt too nice to stop.

Until I heard a click.

I looked down where his touch left me, seeing my wrist chained in metal cuffs.

What the actual hell?

“If this is your idea of kinky, I am not impressed,” I told him, hissing through my breath. Where did he even obtain this from? Did his supernatural vampire ability consist of conjuring items out of thin air too?

He chuckled, a low chortling sound that sounded too festive for this cruel vampire prince. “I have no interest in impressing you.”

“Then why the chains?” I lifted my arms, the metal rattling against each other.

“Sweetheart, you can’t possibly believe I would allow an assassin to freely roam around the palace,” he spoke with feigned surprise, ignoring my disgust at the cursed nickname. Gripping my chin once more, he leaned in toward my lips. “You’ll stay in prison until I figure out what to do with you.”

The surprise briefly registered on my face. I never expected the luxurious treatment of a queen once I was proclaimed the crown prince’s soulmate, but neither did I expect to be treated as a prisoner.

I couldn’t allow him to read my panic, so I morphed my lips into the best imitation of his twisted grin. “Did you really think you could keep me there?”

“Who knows? You are human after all. If you weren’t my soulmate, I would have killed you by now,” Baekhyun answered, not affected by my threat. He probably thought I was bluffing, definitely not knowing whom he was dealing with.

“Correction, you did kill me, but you failed.” I leaned closer, watching him tuck his lips in agitation. “The difference between us is that I am willing to die for you, quite literally.”

The surprise settled on his face, and that fear of the unknown was beautiful. I was drawn to this sense of power I had over him, but of course, it did not last for long. Baekhyun should never be underestimated. He grinned.

“Well, I’ll make sure that won’t happen then.”

In any normal context, the conversation would have been a romantic exchange between two lovers. But in our case, it was pure selfishness; twisted and cruel. We affectionately tried to off one another despite this curse that now bounded us together ‘till death do us part.

The guards came into the room afterwards, roughly grabbing me by my arm to drag me to the place where I would now stay at. I tilted my head back towards Baekhyun, seeing the attentiveness he held me with. Meeting my eyes, he grinned.

Somehow, I knew we would both enjoy this little game of death between us.

***

The guards led me toward the dungeon inside the palace. This was where I noticed their biggest faux pas. Either the guards had been poorly trained, or they underestimated me for being human.

They allowed me to see the map of the castle. No one bothered to blindfold me and my eyes were free to roam around the place, allowing me to draw a mental blueprint. Once I escape prison, it would be too easy to return to Baekhyun’s room.

They led me down the stairs, because every prison had to be located in a dungeon. For a modern palace, the area took on an olden style design with raw rocks coating the wall. I silently followed, studying the ring of keys dangling over the belt of every guard. Had I not been handcuffed, it would be too easy to obtain it.

We went through one final door, and the jail came to sight. Only one other girl was locked inside, and one observation came to mind. No red eyes.

She was human.

My breath hitched. The pathos in the situation clouded my better judgement to think straight. Could I save her? Or would I need Minseok on the throne in order to achieve that?

“Who’s this?” A guard who had been dozing off straightened his tall back, standing up from his stool next to a poor looking table. He looked like the last resort kind of guard they afforded on low budget, which was ridiculous, because the royal family were royally rich.

“A special prisoner of the crown prince. You’re supposed to treat her well, Chanyeol,” the one holding my hand scoffed. He fiddled with his keys and uncuffed me.

“Isn’t she the one who wanted to sleep with the crown prince last night?” This Chanyeol guy noted.

Wonderful. It hadn’t been 24 hours and already I had earned a notorious reputation for myself. I could use this to my advantage. Because being the great Choi Yeonji, I twisted every failure to success.

“That’s right,” I said, rubbing my wrist to return its warmth and smiled suggestively at the guards. “We’re having another go at it tonight. The crown prince likes a little prison roleplaying. So you better not hurt me, he would rather do it himself.”

The three guards stared at me in surprise, having difficulties finding the right emotions to react with. I morphed their beloved prince into a perverted pain-loving psychopath. Hey, I was only telling the truth.

“What exact orders were given?” Chanyeol asked, staring at the other two in confusion. The absurdity of the situation made them shrug. Knowing the frivolous behavior Baekhyun operated with, my version of the truth was highly possible.

“To put me in prison,” I answered on their behalf. Noting their confusion, I walked around the cell, stopping at the wooden table Chanyeol had probably drooled over in his sleep. I spotted a glass of water and a deck of cards. How convenient.

“However, that was all he commanded. You are not to handcuff or chain me,” I began, taking the paper wrapper from behind my skirt as I continued to face them. I calculated the distance to the glass, and felt around using my fingers to pour the sleeping powder inside. “Especially not to hurt me.”

“Cause he would rather do it himself?” Chanyeol asked unsurely.

“Exactly.” I smiled sweetly at him, a reaction juxtaposing the twisting reality of his words. I supposed, the crown prince and I had a very special relationship now that we were soulmates. An information I should keep to myself for the time being.

The wrapper was emptied of its contents, and I gently shoved it back to where it came from. Luckily, the powder would dissolve as soon as it came in contact with water. The moment I surrendered my hands midair to show these guards my innocence, they grabbed me and opened the entrance to the jail.

“You may be bluffing for all we know. You don’t get a special treatment. Now get in there,” the other guard spoke, pushing me roughly into the small cell. I crashed hard toward the ground and winced at the pain, wondering whether my knees and hands got bruised trying to prevent the fall. They did.

Another thought entered my mind. Would Baekhyun hurt if I am hurt? Would he feel even the smallest pang of pain, or does it only work in a life or death situation? I sure hoped it was the former.

“Is that all you got? Should’ve pushed me harder,” I taunted, only because the idea of the pain being connected to Baekhyun enthralled me.

Their expressions showed how surprised they were. Goodness, now _I_ was becoming the psychopath.

“Watch over her, Chanyeol,” one of the guards said, and the tall one named Chanyeol nodded. As if. He seemed to be the type to immediately doze off to sleep as soon as he was in charge. He may be much taller than me, but I had no doubt I could snap those long bones like reed.

He must’ve noticed my delirious staring at him, not knowing I was imagining various ways to kill him. If everything went to plan, maybe I wouldn’t stoop down to their level. Vampires killed humans, not the other way around. But I was never a big fan of the status quo.

To avoid the discomfort my gaze brought him, he looked elsewhere. Fine. I had time before the plan went into motion anyway. So I studied my cell, and only then realized those soft hazelnut eyes staring at me, a color that belonged to a human. I had been in the presence of vampires for far too long that the mere sight of my own kind elated me.

After a more thorough observation, my smile fell. This human girl was a prisoner. Judging on the tangled knots in her unkempt hair, the loose drapery of a sackbag dress, and the foul smell that blended with the iron odor swimming in this room, she had been here for a while. I did not want to imagine how many people were left to suffer and bleed on this cold cemented ground.

“Is it true?” She suddenly spoke, her voice as fragile as a ceramic plate nearly tipped off its balance. I could see she exerted more bravery in that one statement, for she seemed to be trembling a little, hugging her knees to her chest. “Are you and the crown prince really…”

I quickly eyed Chanyeol who, as expected, paid no attention to us and busied himself with a deck of cards on his table. So I mouthed a quick no to her. I would rather kill the crown prince than let him touch me again. Well, at the memories of the night prior resurfacing, my body may have disagreed a little. Damn these hormones.

“He’s a vampire, and the worst of them. He has killed more humans than the possibility of us getting a proper meal in this cell,” I shout whispered, swooshing my hands to emphasize my great loathing to the crown prince.

This made the girl in front of me giggle, but she was quick to stop in case Chanyeol saw her. I read her fear, wondering what the tall doofus was capable of.

“I don’t think all vampires are that bad. The eldest prince has never done us harm.”

“Minseok?”

Her eyes widened at the same time I realized my mistake. No one was supposed to know of my relationship with him.

“ _Prince_ Minseok, I mean,” I added the honorific, slightly cussing at myself to make it seem like it had been a silly mistake instead of producing a nervous giggle. It was one of the basics I was taught at Deception 101. “Sorry, sometimes the anger in me refuses to acknowledge them by their royal status.”

She giggled again, and the sound was the most comforting sound I heard in years. Majority of my memories consisted of the metal clinks of blades swinging against each other, voices telling me to keep it together, doctrines teaching me that Baekhyun was an enemy, and of course Minseok’s soothing voice of instructions. Perhaps, being human had the effect of bringing happiness to others without even knowing it.

“Now it’s my turn. Let me ask you some questions,” I said, seeing her nod eagerly. “Why are you the only prisoner in here?”

“There were others, but,” her eyes grew distant, “They had recently been executed.”

I had been trained not to make a sound even if I gasped, to conceal the slightest indication of my location. “What crimes have they committed to be put in jail? What crime have _you_ committed?”

“I don’t think any of our crimes are worthy of such a terrible punishment, but again, when have we ever been given a choice? Some were punished for stealing bread, some for obstructing the path of the royal family in the streets. I was punished for yawning during the king’s speech. It wasn’t that I found it boring, but I was really tired from working past midnight. I’m sure I have lost my job after the guards publicly came to drag me away from the crowd.”

Something twisted in my stomach, relinquishing my hatred for the vampires. They were better than us humans in every way, but instead of using the power to benefit us all, they shamed us human to a low ranked status. I suppose hatred and envy was only a thin line apart.

“That was hardly a crime. I would’ve yawned too. The king’s speech _is_ boring. He repeats the same thing every year. Someone should write him a new set of cue cards,” I joked in an attempt to lighten her mood. It did. She giggled as soon as she bit her own lips to stop it, glancing at Chanyeol who was now asleep.

I realized then, the softness in her tone wasn’t really the lack of bravery, but rather the fear of being reprimanded for her actions. The fact she laughed despite knowing the consequences showed how brave she truly was. Either that, or I could consider my next disguise as a stand up comedian for making her risk a laughter.

“Well, listen… Err…” I realized I hadn’t gotten her name.

“Heejin.”

“I’m Yeonji.” There was no need for formalities. In these few passing minutes, we already shared enough information to set my perspective in the right place. No more kisses from Baekhyun. I would not fail to kill him, even if my life depended on it, which it really did.

“Listen Heejin,” I continued my heroic briefing. “I will get us both out of here. You probably won’t be able to return to your old life in case if they send a search party, but I know some place you can stay at to remain safe.”

Something in her hazelnut eyes began to sparkle and dim all within seconds. “I love how optimistic you are, Yeonji. But many have tried escaping, and it only quickened the day of their punishment. Besides, I am not worth the risk. Even if I get out, no search party will be sent for me.”

She had a point. Her crime truly wasn’t worth a death sentence, but then again, these vampires loved a bloody show. They sought the thrill of being in control, of seeing blood spilled on the floor, despite abstaining themselves from bloodsucking. The lust for blood was a creed embedded into their system.

Then again, I am certain my sweet vampire prince would issue a search party for me, his soulmate.

“Many have tried, but none have succeeded because none of them were _me_ ,” I said smugly. It wasn’t that I was arrogant, but I truly believed I had the capabilities to break away from this prison cell.

“You are optimistic and confident. If only the humans could regain their reign, you would make the perfect queen,” Heejin said, her excitement increased the volume of her words. She even applauded for me, which got Chanyeol’s attention.

“Hey! Keep it quiet in there before I have to hit either of you!” He yelled a threatening warning, which had no effect on me.

I glared back instead, carefully studying his move. He grew uncomfortable again and turned away. Absentmindedly, he grabbed his glass of water and took a few gulps. I watched him wipe the perspiration from his lips and grinned.

“And my first decree would be to keep us human safe,” I said, turning to Heejin with an ever growing grin. “Trust me when I say I’ll get us both out of here.”

Time to initiate the plan.


	5. Escape

“Heejin,” I called out to the girl beside me as I carefully eyed the occupied guard, “I need you to slap me.”

“What?” The girl cried, quickly pressing her hands against her mouth to undo her loud yelling.

“It’s the only way out. We need to lure him in here. You need to slap me,” I barely explained the plan. A sudden detail about the whole soulmate connection brought a smirk to my lips. “Slap me as hard as you can.”

“I can’t possibly do that,” she stammered.

Seeing the way her body trembled and her eyes collected tears, I should’ve known she was too soft for this task. She couldn’t slap me, but neither could I hurt her. We needed to cause a distraction though.

Fortunately, the art of deception came in many forms. I launched myself toward the wall and crashed myself against it, screaming in pain when I fell to the floor. Take that, stupid vampire prince. Hope you feel this pain too.

“Yeonji, what are you doing?” Heejin’s eyes had grown wide, too aghast to absorb what I had done. She was so pure and innocent, as I had been once during my infancy. I would apologize to her later.

“Get away from me! Stop pushing me!” I yelled, adding an extra dramatic flair to my volume to attract the guard’s attention. I was the one pushing Heejin away while holding on to her at the same time, putting up a one woman show of an ensuing fight.

Indeed, not long after, the shuffling of feet and the metal clicking of chains and metals indicated the cell door opening. Chanyeol’s lean arms pulled me away from Heejin, and I caught the silver keys dangling from his belt. I stretched my arm, measuring the distance.

“I need you two _humans_ to shut up, or I will ask the king to behead you this evening!” Chanyeol threatened.

“She started pushing me!” I cocked my head at Heejin, needing to take his focus away from me. As expected, Chanyeol turned to Heejin. This was my chance.

The number one rule of pickpocketing wasn’t the ability to possess agile fingers—though it was of importance as well—but rather, the ability to create a distraction. While his focus was elsewhere, I easily grabbed unto his keys, slowly and carefully hauling it from his belt.

The next rule was to ensure he wouldn’t notice it was missing. I had to replace the keys with something of equal weight. Considering the jail was as empty as a barren desert, I opted to use my knife and hooked it against his belt. Let’s hope it won’t fail me a third time.

“Now shut up and don’t disturb me,” Chanyeol threatened. He glared at us after giving us a mouthful of scolding, and returned to his desk. He took another gulp of the water and began rubbing his eyes.

“Why did you do that? I didn’t push you, Yeonji,” Heejin’s voice brought me back. I had forgotten she was there. One of my weaknesses was my inability to scan the entire surrounding when a single goal monopolized my focus.

“I know, but since you didn’t want to slap me, I had to find other ways to cause a distraction.”

Without further explanations, I silently reached for the keys and held it up in front of her. Her big doe eyes had a habit of widening with such amazement.

“Where did you get it?” She asked.

“The guard,” I answered coolly, restraining myself from striking a smug victorious pose. “I told you I’d get us both out of here.”

“But how? The guard is still out there and he’ll—”

Her words halted when we heard a sudden thud against a wooden surface, followed by the small reverb of the half empty glass. We both turned around, seeing Chanyeol’s body slumped forward against the table.

“You killed him,” Heejin gasped.

“No, I drugged him,” I corrected, which did not exactly make it sound any better.

My hands and feet moved fast, hurrying to push every key into the lock to find the right one. After a small click, the cell door finally opened. I stepped out first as Heejin trailed behind me. I kept the keys, but snuck to Chanyeol to retrieve my loyal knife. It hadn’t failed me thrice.

“Let’s go,” I called, pulling Heejin with me as we ascended the stairs.

The hallway of the castle was deserted when they captured me, and I prayed to God, it was equally empty now. My brain mapped out the path to Baekhyun’s room, and my feet moved in accordance, careful not to make much noise. But Heejin behind me was already heaving and panting, and she nearly bumped into me when I halted my tracks.

In front of us was the eldest prince, talking to his father.

I inwardly cussed, taking in my surrounding that consisted of barren walls without any window or curtains to hide at. If I were by myself, I could try maneuvering myself to the ceiling, but I couldn’t possibly leave Heejin.

“Yeonji, what happened?” My new friend questioned, completely oblivious to the dire situation we were in.

Her voice, though gentle and silent, managed to attract Minseok’s attention toward us. His eyes widened, but he soon concealed his surprise by maintaining his regal composure.

“Father, perhaps it would be better for you to rest now. Let me accompany you to your room,” Minseok said, placing his hand on the vampire king’s back, ensuring he would look in Minseok’s direction, and not ours.

Then, as subtle as the coming and passing of a cold summer breeze, I saw his hand move behind his back, his fingers motioning to a certain direction. The big door of his room.

My goodness, I never expected the eldest prince to invite me to his room, even if it was in a non sexual context. The thought made me blush.

“Was that Prince Minseok?” Heejin asked, the amazement dwindling in her dreamy voice.

I did not bother replying and pulled her wrist to continue running through the corridor. My steps were light and silent, undetectable along with my stealth. But Heejin’s pattered here and there, clumsy and frantic as she trailed after me. If I hadn’t supported her, I think she may have fallen.

I prepared myself to haul the keys from my pocket, wondering whether one would lead to Minseok’s room. But to my surprise, the door was unlocked. So I pulled myself and Heejin inside, closing the door in a hurry.

“Wow,” Heejin’s pure voice of amazement broke my staggering breathing. “This looks like a library.”

My eyes finally appreciated the room for what it was. Rather than a bedroom, it did resemble a library. Numerous bookcases made up the walls, containing books in all sorts of shapes and colors. There was a small deserted desk in the center of the room, several books and messy notes spread all over it. Weird scribbles were written on the note, complete with a letter of the alphabet assigned next to the symbols.

Strange. The Minseok I knew was a man who prefered order—the mess seemed out of character. Then again, I was in no position to judge him. Having known and trained alongside him for years did not mean I _knew_ him.

“Where exactly are we? Isn’t it dangerous for us to be here?” Heejin asked, suddenly cautious of her surrounding. She whipped her head back and forth, scooting closer toward me.

“Well, I assume this is Minseok’s study room,” I answered, seeing her wide eyed stare. Darn, I had to get accustomed to formalities. “ _Prince_ Minseok’s study room.”

As if on a perfectly rehearsed cue, the door opened before we could find ourselves a weapon. It was none other than Minseok himself.

He hurriedly closed the door behind him, studying me from head to toe. A soft, defeated smile fleeted on his face. “I thought I recognized you. But you would know better than to roam around in a dancer’s outfit.”

His words never failed to make me smile. Actually, his entire presence always managed to light up my world. “There wasn’t a lot of options given to me when I chose to escape prison,” I humored him with a casual shrug.

“Prison?” Minseok’s eyes flashed with worries, the kind that made me melt. He separated himself from the door and strode over in three firm steps. The way his hands rested against my shoulders made my heart prance faster. “Are you alright, Yeonji? Have you hurt yourself?”

When I shook my head, I saw him heave with relief. He was worried about me.

“Tell me what happened,” he then said, his voice as stern as if discussing a war strategy with his general.

“Well, I tried to kill him, but fate surprised me, and revealed I am his soulmate,” I explained everything as brief and entertaining as possible. Neither of us needed a reminder of my failure, and my forthcoming inability to hurt the crown prince.

“Soulmate?” Minseok repeated, his eyes blinking in disbelief. I’d like to belief it was jealousy, but couldn’t possibly flatter myself with such thoughts. “Are you certain?”

“He stabbed me,” I pointed at my stomach that had traces of a cut, “ And the pain mirrored against himself. He collapsed before he could fully kill me.”

Minseok’s eyes stared at me with swirling emotions and numerous questions. He once again studied me, ensuring I was save except for the stab mark. Then he daringly hovered his hand before it, softly grazing a finger over the outline of the wound. I bit my lower lip, stopping myself from whimpering against his cool touch. It reminded me of the way Baekhyun had touched me and the way it lit my insides with infuriating warmth.

“Does it hurt?” He whispered.

“Not when you’re gentle,” I rasped, realizing the innuendo contained in my words. He seemed to notice it too, and being the proper gentleman he was, immediately pulled away to maintain distance. Now Minseok was clearly better suited for the crown. Whereas Baekhyun, he would have smirked and pushed his lips against me, soft and rough at the same time.

Minseok cleared his throat. “If that is true, it would put us in quite a difficult situation. If we kill him, I will lose you,” he said.

My heart reacted at once, pumping so quick I wondered if he could hear it. I was a mere human, a mere subject under Minseok’s training, a well accomplished assassin, but at this moment I simply wished to be the woman in his heart.

“What should we do?” I asked, circling his desk, trailing my fingers against the edge of the desk. My eyes rested on those foreign symbols again, trying to look at anything but him.

“Have you tested how deep your connection is with him? He collapsed when he stabbed you, but would he feel normal injuries as well?” Minseok asked.

“That, I do not know yet. Would you like me to find out?” I asked with a hopeful grin.

“I’d rather you don’t hurt yourself. You are still one of my best soldiers…” Minseok trailed off, suddenly gasping when an idea came to him. “Yeonji, I may have a plan.”

My eyes lit up, ready to do anything for him. “Tell me.”

I did not expect him to lean closer and whisper into my ears, a set of well crafted words and a brilliant plan that might just work. A part of my brain, however, focused on the gentle brush of his whisper and how warm they were in contrast to his cold fingertips.

“It’s worth a try.” I nodded.

“Great, then you may have to leave now before he returns,” Minseok said.

As I was about to move, a soft, hesitant cough sounded from the side. It was then when I remembered, Heejin had been here all along. All my meetings with Minseok was a rendezvous between the two of us, I had forgotten a third person in the picture.

“Who is she?” Minseok asked, his voice cautious with alert.

“A human girl I met in the cell,” I answered, biting my lips in uncertainty of my next request. It would be rude to ask this of the eldest prince, but hopefully he would consider the way I had protected him in the past as a waver. “If it isn’t too much to ask, could she stay in the palace as a servant maid?”

Heejin looked at me with surprise, but I wasn’t sure whether her expression said reluctance or fear.

“Hm,” Minseok hummed, trailing his gaze over the human girl now. He placed his fingers below his chin, a habit of his whenever he was thinking. I would never tire of the sight. “Considering we had not filtered our earlier conversation, it would be dangerous to let her roam around with such valuable information.”

“No, Your Highness!” Heejin immediately fell at his feet, lowering herself to obtain his mercy. “I promise my silence and faithfulness. I hardly understood what was being spoken earlier, but I can assure you I will take this secret to my grave.”

To her surprise, Minseok bustled a laugh instead. “How amusing. I appreciate your allegiance, and I shall take your words for it. Please stand. What is your name?” He flicked his finger, and Heejin felt the magic rush through her legs, helping her stand. That was one of Minseok’s power, to control movement.

“I-it’s Heejin.”

“Well, Miss Heejin, excuse my manners.” He grabbed her hand and planted a polite kiss on her palm. The sight made me hitch my breath, easing my heart to a panicked cadence. “I could not possibly allow you to work among the other servants in fear of a loose mouth. Therefore, I shall require you to be my personal servant. You may communicate to Yeonji and relay my messages to her during my time of absence.”

Heejin’s smile grew as mine fell. As she uttered words of tearful gratitude, I could only ponder upon its meaning. If every message was to be relaid through Heejin, I’d have less opportunity to see him.

Then again, considering the new task required of me, I doubt I had a chance to talk to him at all.

“I have to attend another meeting. But you better take your position, Yeonji. My brother may return soon,” Minseok spoke, his voice incredibly calm despite the menacing tone behind it. The calm ones could be quite scary when pushed to their limit.

“I shall not fail you,” I saluted. Then I turned to Heejin, giving her a curt nod, and strolled off the door. Her safety was guaranteed with Minseok.

The hallway was luckily as deserted as before, and I sauntered my way to the room where Baekhyun and I had spent our lovely night together, unconscious. I fiddled with the keys in my possession, chanting under my breath for the door to open as if it were a charm. Soon enough, one of the keys clicked, and I opened the door. From inside, I locked it again.

The room looked spotless; no sign of blood or ropes or anything out of the ordinary. I strategically placed myself behind the door, the best place to ambush him if he were to enter.

I waited.

Sometimes, killing a target was akin to fishing. It required a lot of patience before you can go for the strike. I did not let my guard loose, holding my position of offense with my trusted knife in my hand.

Then I heard him. Footsteps that dragged out the weight upon his shoulder with every step forward. I tightened the grip around my knife, peering at the doorknob that began to twist. My heart raced in anticipation, hoping the plan would work.

As soon as Baekhyun entered the room, I pushed him against the door, closing it at the same time. I pressed my body against him, trapping him with no place to go. The tip of my knife touched the side of his neck, and I lusted after his fear.

“Hello, soulmate,” I greeted with a grim smirk.

But the fear never appeared. Instead, he mirrored my smirk, but ten times more devious.

“Hello, sweetheart.”


	6. Rendezvous

I winced a little at the nickname, readjusting my grip around the knife. I may have pricked him a little, watching a faint scratch appear. Soon enough, I felt the same cut in my neck.

“I assume the jail did not suit you?” He questioned calmly, still maintaining his brave front as if the knife didn’t threaten him.

“Oh no, the jail was splendid. I just wanted to be close to you. One might even think, that I missed you,” I said with feigned interest, moving my lips closer against his. Considering he had already stolen a kiss from me, I suppose it was alright if I teased him a little, brushing my lips against him without fully taking him for a kiss.

This made him cackle, but knowing the movement brought his neck closer to my knife, he stopped. “Well, I must say I am impressed by your escape. But what do you plan to do now? You can’t kill me.”

“On the contrary, Your Highness,” I began, taking distance from him, maneuvering the knife against my own neck instead. “I can kill you by taking my own life.”

Minseok’s instruction had only been one, to threaten Baekhyun with my own life. Little did he know, I take my orders very seriously. As the knife began to cut into my flesh, I finally saw the fear I had been looking for. Baekhyun stared at me with wide eyes of horror, and it was beautiful. I had control over him.

Again, I should not have underestimated him.

Baekhyun showed the skills of a proficient fighter, moving his feet so swiftly to kick my wrist without mercy. The pain reverberated throughout my entire arm, forcing me to drop my knife on the floor. He immediately kicked it away, approaching me with a gaze that was no longer playful.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the least I expected was for him to hold my wrists and bring my hands in front of him. The move was as gentle as it was rough by Baekhyun’s standards. I hitched a breath when his deep red eyes raked over my hands.

“You’re truly foolish,” he then mumbled, catching me off guard. His voice sounded almost helpless. “What happened during the course of my absence? Why did you hurt yourself?”

If I didn’t know any better, I would mistake his gentle tone for concern. But I did know better. He must’ve felt the pain when the guards threw me into the cell, causing me to scrape my hands against the cold stoned floor. If only they had been rougher with me.

“I am willing to stab my neck with a knife so you’d die with me. Didn’t you think I would injure myself for your sake?” I asked instead, pretty sure I sounded like a sociopath or a lunatic at this point. The way his bloodshot eyes regarded me with seemed to share the same opinion.

“You’re mad.”

“It’s one of my lovelier traits,” I told him with a pretentious smile, one of the many tricks I had learned to deceive or seduce.

By now, I knew Baekhyun’s level of insanity was on the same spectrum as mine. Whereas other people would turn away in fear at my words, he flashed a devilish grin instead, as if agreeing that my masochist side was a lovely trait, indeed.

“Tell me, sweetheart, who is the person you work for?” He asked, gripping my wrist tighter as he pulled me closer against him. The move was so subtle and skillful that I almost didn’t realize my feet moving from its place, suddenly closing in the distance between us. “Who is the person you are willing to die for?”

I hated how easily he deducted the truth. If it wasn’t because of my feelings for Minseok, I never would have been in this position, risking my life in exchange for my target. But love made people do foolish things, and in my case, it could cost me my life. But I wasn’t giving Baekhyun the privilege of bearing this knowledge and I prayed that he wouldn't be smart enough to figure things on his own. I had to be more careful.

“I work for no one.”

“Then why are you eager to kill me?”

“Because, my dear prince,” the words tasted sour on my lips even as I paired it with another one of my sweetest smile, “I despise you. You aren’t as likeable as you think you are.”

“Huh.” He released my wrist, resting his cold hands on my bare waist instead, his finger playing with the end of my top, tracing at a spot where his finger should not be. He leaned in closer to me, lips nearly touching, but barely. “That’s hard to believe judging on the way you kissed me.”

I hitched a breath, wanting to push him away, but also wanting to pull him close and tangle my fingers between his dark hair and get him to kiss me all over again. As much as I loathed him, his kisses were to die for. I had kissed men, but they never quite knew how to satisfy their woman like Baekhyun did.

Sometimes I fantasized about what kissing Minseok would feel like, but I doubted his gentle manners could make me tingle in the way Baekhyun did. I hated the crown prince even more for ruining my special moments with Minseok, even if they took place in my imagination.

“See? Your body’s giving away your carnal desire for me,” Baekhyun whispered against my neck and I felt myself unconsciously rolling my head back. All other thoughts were soon forgotten, replaced by every physical encounter I had with my soulmate.

It was no secret that the royal vampire brothers possessed great power. Minseok was known to control movement and Jongdae possessed otherwordly agility, but Baekhyun’s had always remained a mystery. Now, I was pretty sure that heightening one’s libido was his power. No wonder he got every girl in this entire kingdom to lust after him.

“Stop using your power on me, or I’ll kill myself,” I threatened, trying my hardest to resist my craving for his touch. I was like a child saying no to someone who offered candy while my tongue was very eager to take some frolic licks from it.

This earned me a scoff as Baekhyun quickly raised his hands up, as if he was caught in an illegal act. I was a little disappointed when his cold fingertips left me. “Sweetheart, that would be an effective threat except for the fact that I’m not using any power.”

I frowned.

“Admit it.” His smirk deepened. “You want me.”

I jerked away from him, taking a step backward. Deep in my heart, I could feel the truth weighing in his statement. If he wasn’t using any power, was I the one responsible for my own desire? Was the soulmate bond between us making me crave for him? Did it soften my resolve to kill him? I still hated him desperately, and I hated myself for wanting him at the same time.

Right at that moment, a soft knock sounded from his door, emitting a gentleness that I imagined belonged to a woman, like the late queen if she were still alive

“Baekhyun, are you in there?”

An equally feminine voice followed that further enhanced the mental image of a proper lady in my mind. The sweet voice sounded too regal to belong to one of his many harlots, and her tone too concerned for someone who merely lusted after him. Without my training to decipher a person’s emotion from their tone alone, I could tell she was someone close to the crown prince.

And for the slightest second, I saw the expression I’ve longed for flash by on Baekhyun’s face. Panic.

“Hide,” he muttered to me, a sudden rush entering his voice as he grabbed my wrist and held them together.

“What made you think I’ll obey you?” I smirked down at him. This was a rare opportunity, and he’d be a fool to think I’d waste it.

“Because it wasn’t a suggestion,” Baekhyun whispered, letting go of my hands.

I felt something cold weighing against my wrists. Frowning, I tore my gaze from him and looked down to see he had conjured a metal chain to tie me together. I’ve been upgraded from a rope to metal chains. He was a quick learner and I felt pure elation. I was honored.

He pushed me to the back of a room divider that had appeared out of nowhere. It was the kind made of white paper material, allowing a sensual silhouette to penetrate through if someone was to undress. However, considering the only illumination came from the chandelier on his ceilings, such imagery would not be formed.

For once, I decided to do as he asked—for my benefit of course. If someone was insane enough to actually care for the crown prince, I could surely include her in my plan to throw Baekhyun off the throne somehow, someway.

“Baek, are you alright?” The girl asked as soon as the door closed behind her. There was so much concern laced in her tone, genuinely worried about the crown prince as if he was someone deserving of someone’s care. She was quick to give him a brief embrace before letting go.

“Why would I not be?” Baekhyun asked. He paired this with a boyish chuckle, sounding too friendly for the cruel prince who had just locked me in chains. He was either playing a charade, or this girl managed to bring out his kind side.

No, it was definitely the former. A creature like Baekhyun did not know the definition of kindness.

“Mira told me everything,” the girl said. “You have a soulmate, and you tried to kill her.”

I scrunched my eyebrows. I thought I’d like Mira, but apparently she had been spreading rumors, emphasizing the wrong part. Baekhyun tried to kill me because _I_ tried to kill him first. The glory should be mine for the taking.

“News spread fast,” Baekhyun simply said, chuckling as if having a soulmate was no big deal. Neither was the murderous attempt a concern.

“Where is she now?”

I could hear the faint shifting of his fabric rubbing together, probably shrugging. “I put her in prison.”

The girl breathed out a sigh of relief, and I had the greatest urge to pop out of my hiding spot and prove what kind of a swindler Baekhyun was. But I stayed still, trying to figure out what their close relationship pertained to. So far I haven’t derived anything that could help me blackmail the crown prince. So I poked a finger into the paper divider, creating a small hole to grant me vision to the scene.

Goodness. I knew vampires were ethereal creatures, but the female standing in front of Baekhyun was the closest epitome to a goddess I had ever seen. Her long black hair fell in semi curls at the end, reaching right above her waist. It was a breathtaking contrast to her pale complexion, one that was akin to a corpse, but somehow a gorgeous one at that. She wore a body tight pink dress that truly defined her prestigious status—a contrast to my skimpy dancer outfit that had traces of my dried up blood. A face like hers was difficult to forget, and I believed I had seen her before.

“Is she pretty?” The girl asked, coyly avoiding Baekhyun’s gaze.

I straightened my back to get a better view, grinning to myself. Her curiosity implied jealousy. Whoever this girl was, I suppose she wasn’t just friends with the crown prince. And to further stress my observations, a hint of a smile ghosted over Baekhyun’s lips, defeated, and utterly hopeless. It was as if he were a different person altogether. I did not recognize this version of Baekhyun.

“Yes,” he answered, which caught my heart offguard as it pranced a beat faster than its usual rhythm. But then I saw him gently brush his thumb against the soft peach patches forming on her cheek, and my heart pranced for an entirely different reason. “But compared to you, she’s nothing, Jihye.”

My jaw completely dropped open, too giddy at this scandal. No wonder she looked familiar! Jihye was none other than Jongdae’s fiancee. She was the youngest prince’s lover.

“You’re not supposed to say that,” Jihye said, her breath shaking when Baekhyun leaned in and kissed her with the very same lips that had seduced me a few minutes ago. For someone who reprimanded him, she had little to no self control, openly welcoming Baekhyun’s lips as she kissed him back.

In fact, the way she wriggled her arms around his neck and directed his steps to the bed made me think they had done this before, many _many_ times. Oh, this was rich. Baekhyun was having an affair with Jongdae’s fiancee. This was family drama at its finest.

I sat still, completely engaged watching the two make out. I wasn’t some perverted wench, but I needed to collect as much details as possible in case I needed to reference this incident in the future.

Jihye was eager to unbutton Baekhyun’s shirt, trailing kisses right down his neck. He groaned a little, arching his head back with closed eyes. When he reopened them a few seconds later, he caught my eye through the small peephole. A sudden frown of realization sunk in him, remembering they weren’t the only people in the room. Darn his heightened vampire senses.

“Jihye,” he rasped, putting his hands on her shoulder to gently push her away. “We shouldn’t do this.”

“Then you shouldn’t have kissed me first,” she said with a playful lilt to her voice. And yet, she obediently climbed out of bed, straightening the neckline of her dress that had come undone to expose more cleavage.

“Jongdae could kill you,” Baekhyun said, buttoning his shirt up as he followed her to the door.

“Then we better make sure he doesn’t know about this.” Jihye smiled, pressing a fleeting kiss against his lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Then she walked out the door, regaining her gracefulness, continuing a charade of the worried sister in law who had in no way made out with him.

Baekhyun swung his door close, pivoting his head to my direction. “Liked what you see?”

“ _Like_ does not even begin to describe my delight.” I got up from my spot, seeing the partition disappear in front of me. Normally I would’ve questioned it, but I was too focused on my discovery to address that issue. I hadn’t realized that the metal chains around my wrist had vanished as I took a confident stride toward the crown prince, halting right in front of him.

“Would you care to explain or am I allowed to make my own assumptions?”

Baekhyun folded his arms, pressing his hard chiseled muscles together. He cocked his head to me, giving permission for the latter.

“Jihye was your first love, but because you’re a terrible person, she chose Jongdae over you. Yet you couldn’t let her go, so you use your powers to charm her into sleeping with you. Oh, and as a coping mechanism for being rejected, you sleep around with multiple girls as rebound.”

This made Baekhyun smirk, an expression Jihye was not privy of seeing. “You’re right about her being my first love, and also about her choosing Jongdae. But my decision to sleep with those girls comes from my benevolence. They all want me, and I’ve been very generous about it.”

“Disgusting,” I muttered. “You don’t make a very ideal soulmate, you know that?”

This filled his cruel face with glee, darkening as he lifted the corner of his lips to a stretching grin. “Is that jealousy, I sense?”

“Heavens, don’t flatter yourself. Let me amend my words. You don’t make a very good partner altogether,” I spat with derision, mocking him tirelessly. “Jongdae is known to be the worst among you three brothers. The fact that she chose him—the cold blooded killer—over you shows how rotten _you_ truly are.”

His gaze brooded into something more sinister, no longer playful or cocky. If I had to attach an emotion to it, I’d say he was actually sad. My words managed to offend him and carve his face into a beautiful sorrowful mess. He might not have cared about my opinion of him, but it seemed like Jihye’s was a valuable one.

Suddenly, I understood my next move.

I could no longer kill Baekhyun without sacrificing myself, and a part of me believed that Minseok never intended for me to die. He was so worried about my wound before and warned me to be careful. Perhaps Baekhyun didn’t have to die in order for Minseok to become king.

“And yet, you still foolishly care for her,” I began, confidently pacing myself around him as his cold gaze followed me. I took out my loyal knife, twirling it in my hand to appear more lethal. “You must be aware by now that I can’t kill you.”

Baekhyun’s gaze hardened, and I stopped walking, the tip of the knife pressed against my lips.

“But I can kill her.”

He flinched. “You wouldn’t.”

“Clearly you don’t know me very well,” I said, tapping the knife to my cheek as if it were a finger I’d use to think with. “If you thought of me as merciful, you highly overestimated my moral codes.”

He frowned, clear ripples sinking on his forehead. His blood red eyes seemed to waver, glooming with a dash of fear that was so very breathtaking. He was finally bestowing me what I had originally sought after.

I was playing the right chess piece in our gameboard of life and death. With my next move, I knew I had him right where I wanted him to be.

“What do you want?” he questioned.

“I want you to give up the throne.”


	7. Chained

The taste of victory was supposed to be sweet. I was supposed to have the upperhand and have him cornered. But when will I ever learn? The biggest mistake I could possibly make was to underestimate the crown prince.

He did not appear surprised or even fearful. The earlier fright I had seen on his face was completely dissolved into a stoic expression, almost calculative, or deliberate. Had it all been a facade? Did he intend to make me believe he was afraid? If that were the case, _he_ had me checkmated instead.

“The throne? Is that what you’re after?” he asked, a slow grin spreading over his lips. His cold fingers tipped my chin toward him, and I did my best not to flinch or let him catch my quickened breathing. “Now tell me, sweetheart, why would a mere _human_ want the throne?”

He spat the word with disdain, as if the human race was a laughing stock. We may not have special abilities like they did, and we may be inferior in every sense possible, but the fact we still existed surely meant we were made for more. I would not allow him to belittle us like this.

“To show that humans can reign over you vampires,” I answered firmly. Truthfully, I really wished I could believe my own statement. It may be a little far stretched, which was why having Minseok as king was the best bet for our safety.

“Truly?” He asked, his other hand suddenly trailing over the bare skin on my back, gently pulling me closer. “Why do I find that hard to believe?”

“If the impossible were easy to believe, it wouldn’t be impossible now, would it?”

Baekhyun smirked at my reply, almost as if he was enjoying this banter between us. I bet none of the horny girls he slept with bothered to talk back to him.

“You are surely working with someone, and I will find out whom,” he whispered. The back of his cold hands stroking my cheek before he brushed down my arms, making me tingle at the sensation. I kept up my tough charade, ensuring he wouldn’t draw any conclusion from my reaction.

“Why would you care about the throne anyway? You’re not even interested to be king,” I said. Baekhyun was famous for his wild parties and debauchery lifestyle. The royal throne was not fit for him.

“That is a matter for another day,” he spoke. “In the meantime, I don’t think I can let you go.”

“That almost sounds romantic.”

He chuckled darkly, letting his hand linger on my cheek. “You’re my soulmate, I need to treat you well.”

And suddenly, I felt the coldness of his touch replaced by another set of cold chains. I looked down, not surprised to see my entire arm and torso wrapped by infinite chains, no end and beginning. He had me trapped, again.

“I see you’ve taken a liking in tying me up,” I muttered, glowering as he pulled on the chain, ensuring it was steady enough to keep me restrained like a wild animal.

“I’ve always been fond of bondage. I hope we share this common interest, sweetheart.” He kept tugging, nodding to himself when the chains didn’t budge.

“My name is Choi Yeonji.”

Baekhyun shifted his dark gaze to me, seemingly amused by my annoyance. “I thought a term of endearment would be more suitable for our situation.”

He said this with his own sense of derision, clearly mocking our relationship. He seemed to have forgotten that I intended to take my life to have him die with me just minutes ago. Unless that fear had been feigned as well. Baekhyun was getting harder and harder to read, and I hated not knowing how to properly handle my target.

He then walked to his bed and casually stripped himself of his blouse and pants, leaving him in nothing else but his skin-tight briefs. I really should have averted my eyes, but there was no need for common courtesy between us. I wished my staring would’ve have embarrassed him, but clearly, the perverted bastard considered his own body a glorious temple to be showed off.

“Like what you see? If you behave, I might let you have a taste of it,” he said smugly, as if sleeping with him was a trophy worth earning.

My eyes tried its hardest to stay on his face instead of trailing down his rippled chest and set of abs that was deserving of his pride.

“I’d rather have a taste your blood,” I spat.

“Funny. I thought I was the vampire,” he replied calmly, climbing into his bed. He snapped his fingers, and the lights went out. I suppose it was one of his powers, along with his ability to keep creating these chains.

“What are you doing?” I asked incredulously, hearing him shift in his bed. “Are you going to sleep?”

“You’re welcome to join me,” he said suggestively.

“You wish.”

I moved my body to the best of my abilities, but the chains were firmer this time. Considering it was created using some sort of vampire magic, I don’t think I could easily slip out of this.

“Very well. Suit yourself on the floor,” Baekhyun said, his voice drawing to a low hum, ready to doze off into sleep.

I gritted my teeth. What time was it? I didn’t realize it had been night already. Wasn’t he afraid that I could hurt him in his sleep? Or did he think of my threat as a bluff?

I waited for several minutes before I dashed towards the door. Luckily the room was enveloped in darkness, so he wouldn’t see my awkward position when I tiptoed, trying to reach the doorknob with my hand. But these chains constricted me below my joints, preventing me from moving my elbows as freely as I wished. I opted to use my chin to turn the knob around, but ended up twisting my head like a fool.

“Don’t bother. It’s locked,” Baekhyun’s voice surprised me, and I jumped up, slightly embarrassed that he knew of my failed attempts. I had no choice but to head to his bedside, stomping my feet extra loud to keep him from sleeping.

“Release me, or I’ll kill the girl you fancy,” I threatened.

Baekhyun shot his eyes open, and I saw its blood red color shine through the darkness. It sent the shivers down my spines, and for a second, I remembered he was a vampire. He was actually capable of hurting me.

He slowly got up from bed, pressing his finger on my lips. “You don’t seem to understand that staying here is my way of granting you mercy.”

Suddenly I felt something covering my face, like a mask, but made out of steel, and slightly heavy. I let out a mumble of protest which translated into silence.

Then he bend down, teasingly trailing his cold fingertips along the open slit of my skirt, touching my bare leg. His fingers stayed a second longer at my ankles, where soon enough, I felt a similar weight constricting me as the one around my arms.

“Goodnight,” he repeated, and I could hear the elation in his voice. I imagined a brutish smirk on his face for successfully immobilizing and silencing me.

I huffed a deep breath, but even that was obstructed by this noise canceling mask. None of my years of training had prepared me for this. I was powerless.

Steadily, I lowered myself to the floor, leaning my back against the wall. Today, Baekhyun may have won, but he better enjoy his victory while it lasted. Cause I wasn’t planning on letting him delight in it for too long.

So I closed my eyes, and fell asleep.

***

When I awoke, my surrounding was still splatched in ink of darkness. A cold sensation washed over me, almost freezing me as I shifted around on what felt like a mattress. I jolted my eyes wide open, realizing that I was face to face with Baekhyun. His arm was cradling my body, hovering dangerous close above my waist.

I pushed myself up, realizing the move had come with such ease. The cold weight around my wrists were gone, as was the mask, and the chains around my ankles.

How did I get in here? As far as I remembered, I fell asleep on the floor. But here I was, in bed with Baekhyun. Inappropriate images entered my mind, wondering whether Baekhyun had hypnotized or drugged me in order to do the dirty deed. The worst part was the fact that I did not seem to object it very much. My clothes—though very scanty to begin with—seemed to be in tact, proving nothing had happened.

My eyes lingered on Baekhyun, watching the crown prince deep in sleep. He looked serene and benign, appearing like the boyish demeanor he had shown to Jihye. In this civil state, I almost believed he could be kind enough to carry me to bed, unwilling for the damsel to fall asleep on the cold floor. He even untied me so I could get a good rest.

But who was I kidding? A sleeping lion was still a predator nonetheless. Baekhyun was still the guy cruel enough to stab me during our first night. Whatever his intention was for bringing me up here, it would not change my opinion of him.

I quickly got up, moving to the door using impressive stealth. Without the chains, I could easily turn the handle in complete silence, thus leaving Baekhyun in his deep sleep.

The palace hallway was deserted, but I wasn’t sure how long it’d last. Baekhyun needed to know that I wasn’t just making empty threats. I was more than happy to kill Jihye. Problem was, I had no idea where the youngest prince’s fiancee resided.

So my best option was to pay Minseok a visit. I lightly knocked on his door, hoping he was still awake even though I had no idea what time it was.

To my relief, the door opened, revealing Minseok in nothing but a deep maroon satin robe, surprisingly matching the icy blue color of his hair. I could see faint outlines of his chest, sparkling invitingly as his face did. Unlike with Baekhyun, seeing Minseok made me blush.

“Yeonji, what a surprise,” Minseok greeted, elated at my impromptu visit. He placed a hand on my back, gently ushering me inside.

It was then when I realized that he had company. Heejin. She looked a little red, held a half full wine glass in her hand, and giggled like she was drunk. Oh God, she _was_ drunk.

“What’s going on here?” I asked, turning to Minseok to see him holding a wine glass too. An open bottle sat on his desk where all his weird scribbled papers used to be. A pang of jealousy hit my chest. When I asked Minseok to keep Heejin safe, this was not what I had in mind.

But Minseok was not the playboy type like Baekhyun. He was kind, especially to humans. This was simply his benevolence on display.

“We were just talking,” Minseok replied, smiling when Heejin giggled for no reason at all. “How did it go, Yeonji? Did it work?”

“Well, considering I had pricked myself a little, he was convinced I would kill myself,” I said, tilting my head up to show the mark I had carved on my neck. “But he stopped me from hurting myself and tied me up afterwards. I don’t think it worked.”

“What?” Minseok’s eyes widened at the wound, releasing his glass midair, twirling his fingers to levitate it toward his desk. Heejin cheered at his magic trick, but I had seen Minseok use his ability to control movement multiple times before. Then he curled his fingers, and I felt an invisible force pulling me closer until my breast was pressed against his chest. Another flick, and my head was tilted to him.

“I didn’t want you to hurt yourself. You weren’t supposed to go to such extremes,” he scolded me, and I suppress a smile. He was worried.

“You know I don’t do things half heartedly,” I said proudly, and he pressed his lips on a half smile, sighing in defeat.

“I don’t suppose my brother helped you clean up the wound,” he whispered. His worried gaze fixated on the wound. I imagined it was a trivial cut, but the concern in Minseok’s look implied it was worse than I thought.

“Why would he?” I asked with implied humor, but stopped chuckling when I realized Minseok had placed a hand to cup my cheek. His hand was colder than Baekhyun’s, the kind that made me feel a chill and in need of a hearth. But I endured it.

“Every vampire has the power to heal small wounds like this, even if we aren’t healers,” he said, his voice uncharacteristically low. I shivered at the gush of his breath against my neck.

“H-How?”

Minseok answered me by dipping his mouth to my neck, his tongue carefully flicking over the tender part of my wound. His fragile movement turned into gentle swirls, and then into sucking. He wasn’t hurting me, he was healing me. It felt so good to the point I let out a moan, grabbing his hair to direct his mouth all over my neck. Judging on the way his hand began to trail lower down my chest, he seemed just as eager.

“Wow, that looks really nice,” Heejin’s chirpy voice ruined the moment. She stared dreamily at us, her head propelled against her hand. “I wished I could do it too.”

I immediately took distance from Minseok, clearing my throat awkwardly. I genuinely hoped Heejin was too drunk to remember this tomorrow.

“I-I’m sorry. That wasn’t supposed to happen,” Minseok apologized, returning to his usual kind manners as he bashfully avoided my eyes, shyly scratching the nape of his neck. I didn’t know whether vampires were capable of blushing, but I’d like to believe I saw a red gleam on his sickly pale skin. “Human blood has the power to intoxicate vampires, and not in a good way. This is why sucking human blood is forbidden. But it should be able to heal the wound.”

“I-I see,” I stuttered with the same coyness, looking away from the person whom my body throbbed after. My heart was beating abnormally fast, wondering what would happen if Heejin hadn’t been there. I could add this to my endless list of naughty fantasies about Minseok. For now, I really _really_ had to focus back on my main mission.

“Minseok, I need to find Jihye.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “Why?”

“I have a plan to get Baekhyun to surrender the throne, but I’d need Jihye for it. Does she reside here?”

“She shares a room with her betrothed, Jongdae,” Minseok said. He hurried to his bookcase, browsing through his neatly piled papers before pulling one out. He straightened it on the table, revealing a map—the palace’s map.

“We’re here right now,” he pointed at a square on paper. “And Jongdae and Jihye’s chamber are here.”

I analyzed the map, quickly identifying the corners and paths during my trip to the underground prison. The guards really should not have underestimated my abilities to memorize the way. In no time, I had copied the visual image into my brain.

“Perfect. I’ll be on my way,” I said, feeling some heaviness in my heart as I grabbed the door handle. I wished I could stay longer, to have him experiment with my blood, and turn his gentle mien into a wild beast. But duty called, and I hauled myself outside.

“Yeonji,” Minseok called after me, his lips trembling with hesitation before finally settling on a “Be careful.”

I nodded and was off to Jihye and Jongdae’s room.

As I ran through the corridors on silent heels, my mind began to conjure several worst case scenarios and how to overcome them. I hoped that Jongdae and Jihye held on to the sanctified no sex before marriage oath and sleep in separate beds. But remembering the way Jihye had attacked Baekhyun earlier, I doubted that possibility.

I quietly entered their room with ease, no longer surprised that the royals never locked their doors. A single king sized bed laid at the back of the room. Of course they slept together.

I rolled my eyes, tiptoeing closer as I softly took out my loyal knife from the sheath around my upper thigh.

Jihye looked insanely beautiful even as she slept, her pale skin seeming to radiate light even in the darkness. Next to her, Jongdae slept facing the other side. I studied the peaceful rise and fall of their shoulders, too deep asleep to notice my intrusion.

Well, I could easily kill Jihye and get this over with, but based on my observations of Baekhyun, I couldn’t blackmail him by showing Jihye’s dead body. But in order to protect a loved one, he might be open to negotiations.

I twirled the knife in my hand, knowing just was to do. I only needed to scare him, to show Baekhyun that I could have killed Jihye, but decided to spare her in exchange for his throne.

I needed her hair.

So I carefully positioned myself to take a handful of her beautiful long black locks, measuring the right amount to make my warning a lethal threat. Cutting it up to her ear would be ideal, I thought, and I positioned my knife, ready to cut, when suddenly…

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

I looked up in shock, coming eye to eye with none other than Jongdae, fully awake, and wickedly grinning.


	8. Torture

Out of every worst case scenarios possible, getting caught by Jongdae was the worst I accounted for, because I hadn’t found a solution to overcome it yet.

I was about to say something when he suddenly gaped his mouth open in imitation, placing a finger in front of his mouth to shush me. He shook his head, motioning me to follow him instead. Without waiting, he got up on his feet, leaving his fiancee sound asleep.

He’d be a fool if he thought I’d follow him. I may not be able to cut off Jihye’s hair tonight, but I could come up with several alternative plans to get what I wanted. When Jongdae’s back faced me, I dashed for the door, my hand reaching the knob when suddenly, Jongdae appeared before me. Clearly, his otherworldly agility was not just made up.

He grinned grimly at me, eager and hungry as he shoved a knife at my throat. I clenched and unclenched my fingers, feeling the hollowness in my hand.

Darn it, my knife was taken from me again.

“Where are you going? I never gave you permission to leave,” he chimed, his voice filled with melodious malice. It sounded like a twisted battle cry, the starting ignition of whatever he’d use my knife for.

“I don’t need your permission to do as I wish,” I hissed, keeping my voice soft enough to not wake Jihye up. The last thing I wanted was for her to report my intrusion to her secret lover, a.k.a. my soulmate. I had a feeling Baekhyun wouldn’t be too lenient with his punishment if he knew my true purpose here.

“Oh, but you do. You are in my room now,” Jongdae sang, his red eyes gleaming with delight. With the knife still positioned against my throat, he yanked me by my hair, dragging me away from the door, leading me toward another door I hadn’t noticed before.

A scream was about to spill from my throat, but I knew better than to protest. Obeying him was probably the smarter choice in this situation. Jongdae was known as the cold blooded killer, and I was certain he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me if he felt like it. Because yes, whereas most people killed out of revenge or war, Jongdae killed because he got a thrill out of it. He was a psychopath.

He pulled me into a secret room, swiftly locking us up as he carelessly discarded the key to the side. As I took in my surrounding, my eyes widened in absolute terror. I had encountered many things during my training sessions with Minseok, but I had never seen anything quite like this.

At the very back of the wall, there was a set of metal chains dangling from the wall, two at the top and two at the bottom. Next to it was a long table with an assortment of weapons ranging from katanas to pocket sized daggers, hammers with sharp edges, mullets with dull edges, a sharp teeth, bronze chains, tweezers, arm length tweezers, and more weapons I did not know the name of. On the other side of the room, I noticed several torture instruments that I had only seen in history books before.

Jongdae brought me to his personal torture chamber.

“I need you to tie yourself up,” was Jongdae’s first comment. He pointed the knife toward the chains attached to the wall.

What was it with the two brothers and bondage? I tried my best not to let my fear show on my face, inwardly chanting that I was a fearsome assassin with an impressive record of forty two kills. Being tortured to death was not the legacy I planned on leaving behind. I had to look for an opening to escape, for Jongdae’s possible faux pas, for a chance at survival. But Minseok had always focused on defeating Baekhyun to the point he skipped briefing me about Jongdae’s weaknesses.

How much did he love Jihye? Would he wail in despair if I told him about the affair? But my guts seemed to think it wouldn’t work on this psychopath. I needed to find something else.

“I said, I need you to tie yourself up,” he repeated the same command, but this time gritting his teeth, breathing roughly, no longer pleased.

I obeyed, taking long strides to reach the wall with the dangling chains, idly waiting for its next victim. My eyes roamed over the room once again, certain that there must be something of use to me. There were an abundance of weapons galore, ready at my disposal. Jongdae may be fast, but my agility was not to be underestimated. As I passed the table of weapons, I finally spotted a solution.

My hands swiftly took three dart pins, wasting no second as I pivoted on my heels, swinging my arms to release the darts flying to him. I threw them in different direction aimed for his eye, but also accounting the fact that he’d use his speed to evade me.

Of course, he was faster than my human agility, and in no time, he flashed before me, moving so quick as if he had blinked. He smirked, thinking he had caught me offguard, but I grinned back.

This, I had anticipated. The darts were just a distraction. What he didn’t notice was my other hand grabbing unto a small dagger, holding it in front me where I had estimated he would appear. And when he truly did, I did not hesitate to thrust the blade into his chest.

I heard the sound of meaty flesh, wet and slippery, as I pushed it further, twisting to the left and right to heighten his pain. I genuinely hoped Jihye wasn’t his soulmate, or else I might have killed my only chance at blackmailing Baekhyun.

But to my surprise, Jongdae faltered a step backward, the knife still plunged in his chest. Blood started to drip down his shirt, but all he did was laugh. A piercing, maniac cackle that found amusement in his pain.

“I should not have given you the benefit of doubt because you were a female mortal. My apologies,” Jongdae said, sloppily curtsying into a bow. His breath quickened, and he hissed in pain. But by the time he lifted his head, he was grinning crudely. “I should have treated you as an equal.”

In the blink of an eye, he was in front of me again. He pulled a fistful of my hair in his hand before I had time to defend myself, and slammed my entire body against the wall with a speed impossible to keep up with. I wailed in pain, feeling my feet buckle to the floor, but he didn’t allow a recovery. He roughly grabbed my wrist, brushing it against the rocky wall as cobbles writhed against my knuckles. By the time I blinked, my arms and legs were already chained up, spread apart like a cartwheel. I tried to yank myself free, but these chains were sturdier than Baekhyun’s. The crown prince really did bestow me mercy.

“Now,” Jongdae spoke, pursing his lips as he carefully pulled the dagger from his chest. He even made a pop sound by smacking his lips together to signify the dagger’s successful removal. Blood continued to gush out continuously, but he paid no heed to it. He stared at me expectantly, like a child in need of approval for his accomplishment. But when I gave him none of that, he brought the dagger to his lips and began licking his own blood from it.

“I’ve never been fond of a quick kill, so let’s chat.” He dropped the dagger on the floor, moving to his weapon table. His eyes scanned over the assortment of weapons, whistling a gleeful tune as he picked a tweezer and held it next to my eye. Then he shook his head and retrieved another murderous instrument, assessing which one would inflict the most pain for our slow torture session. In the end, he settled for a regular sized knife.

“You came here tonight with the purpose of killing my beloved. What has she ever done to you?” He asked, red hungry eyes meeting mine.

“I didn’t intend on killing her,” I spoke, feigning my confidence. But as Jongdae approached with the knife, I could only imagine the scenes that would ensue next. The knife was the most basic, yet hurtful weapon that could leave permanent scars.

“Lies,” Jongdae hissed, appearing right beside me. His fingers clenched my jaw, the movement so tight it forced my lips to pucker up unattractively like a fish. Then he pressed the tip of the knife against my cheek, and I felt my heart rate quickening. I could no longer control my stoic expression or hide my fear, not when I knew what was to come. I desperately moved my arms and legs, but my fingers couldn’t reach the keyhole. I was stuck like an animal about to be slaughtered.

“Let’s make sure these lips will never utter another lie again, shall we?” Jongdae whispered.

I felt the metal surface of the knife pressed on my cheek, penetrating inside my flesh as he drew a line to the corner of my lips. I couldn't even scream, for he exerted too much force in keeping my lips munched together. All the while, he was actually giggling to himself, elated at the sight of my blood.

I tried to move, but then he pressed his entire body against me, retracing the deep line with the knife. I could actually feel the bastard’s bulge against me, twitching disgustingly. He was turned on by the blood, fear, and torture. At this rate, he might just kill me to reach an orgasm.

“Hey, you actually look familiar,” he suddenly said, taking a step back as he released me, the knife departing my face. He squinted his eyes, studying me intently, before gasping to himself. “You’re the whore my brother selected! The one who promised to exceed his wildest fantasies.”

I glared at him, unwilling to have my infamous reputation be remembered by this psychopath. But I was utterly hopeless, unable to break free or push him away. I could come up with something clever to say and negotiate my way out of this, but my bleeding cheek prevented me from moving my jaw or utter a word.

“Did you follow through your promise?” Jongdae asked eagerly, giddily bobbing on his feet. “Never mind. Why don’t you exceed my fantasies too?”

With one slash, he cut the center of my dancer’s top, revealing me in nothing but my bra. Any other male would lust after my body, but Jongdae frowned, appalled by it. He fed on pain, and the lack of scars on my body was not a sight he’d like to behold.

“We’ll have to do something about this, won’t we?” He asked me, as if I had a choice in the matter.

As he approached, I knew I had to try anything to get out. I moved my arms and legs, trying to wiggle them out of the chains, but it was useless. I began to tremble all over, feeling tears pool in my eyes as one of Jongdae’s hand cupped my breast. His other free hand began to slice open the skin around my breasts and shoulders.

I cried in agony, and his mouth shaped into a sinister grin, greedy and lustful at the same time. He inflicted another cut, and another, and another. His movement followed the silent rhythm of a devilish symphony playing in his mind.

It didn’t take long before my body bled, open cuts inflicted in random places all across my chest. It hurt. It bled. But I was still alive. At this point, I’d rather die. It would even solve the problem of Baekhyun’s throne since he’d die with me.

Wait.

Baekhyun.

That was it. Wouldn’t _he_ be able to feel my pain?

I suddenly had hope, foolishly placing my faith in the crown prince. He must’ve felt my pain. Even if he didn’t care about me and seconded this torture, I was sure he didn’t want to feel the pain on himself. I was desperate enough to believe he’d save me.

I needed to stall.

“Do you care about Jihye?” I forced the words out of my bleeding mouth, even if they sounded gibberish, even if my cheek stung like hell.

Jongdae halted, seemingly interested in the topic regarding his fiancee. “Of course. I love her with all my heart.”

“Does she love you back though?” I asked, shaping my lips into a lopsided smirk, suppressing the pain. The blood loss had weakened me, and staying awake became a struggle of its own.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a psychopath. You’re twisted and sick,” I spoke, but the accusations came out softer than intended, lacking the savage effect. “No girl would ever love a person like that.”

“You’re wrong! She loves me!”

“Yeah? Then why did I see her make out with your brother?”

My plan to stall time went awrily wrong, and quickly turned into a suicide mission instead. I saw the change in his glint, no hint of playfulness, but pure hatred. He was angry, and the only person he could take it out on was me. He readjusted his grip on the knife, bellowing a roar as he swung the knife right toward my heart.

I closed my eyes, feeling my heart race like never before. It was audible even in my ear, each beat about to be my last. This was it. The end of my story.

I failed.

But as seconds passed by, nothing happened. I hesitantly squeezed an eye open to see Jongdae squatting to the floor. A heavy block of cement had formed around his wrist, weighing him down to the floor.

_The ability to conjure things out of thin air._

I quickly looked up to the door, seeing no other than Baekhyun, looking murderously dangerous himself. He entered the room with an unspoken set of authority and power.

“Don’t you ever dare to touch her again,” he warned, stepping forward to punch Jongdae in the face.

At any other moment, I would’ve cheered, but I felt my energy drained out of me. My eyelids were about to fail me, barely holding up.

When Baekhyun’s red eyes met mine, there was a falter in his confidence. He took in the open cuts all over my bare body, fresh blood spilling out from it. My faltering consciousness may have played tricks on me, but I thought I saw some concern flicker in those red eyes of his.

He didn’t speak a word and quickly unchained my feet before he moved to my arms. When the final chain was released, my weakened body fell against him. He quickly caught me, careful not to touch the wounds. I was too frail to protest when he adjusted his grips below my knees, carrying me in his arms.

“Brother, she is one of your many harlots. Why do you care for her?” Jongdae asked, his hand still stuck to the floor.

“She’s not a harlot,” I faintly heard Baekhyun say, feeling my consciousness fade altogether as his final words rang in my head like a sweet lullaby.

“She’s someone important to me.”


	9. Healing

The moment I came back to my senses, I was surprised to see the rich cream colored canopy of Baekhyun’s bed above me. I tried to get up but my injury prevented me from moving anything but my head. I stared down, seeing myself exposed in my bra. The scars over my breasts and chest were still in tact.

Then I heard the sound of splashing water, followed by the trinkets of water droplets. I moved my gaze sideways, frowning when I saw Baekhyun sitting at a chair next to the bed, squeezing out water of the towel into a bowl. Next to it, I saw my trusted dagger. The sight comforted me a little.

Baekhyun turned to me and upon realizing I had been watching, widened his eyes with surprise.

“You’re awake,” he said, pressing the wet cloth against my shoulder.

I yelled in pain, feeling the sting at the wet contact. I heard Baekhyun groan as well, the same pain translating directly to his own shoulder.

“You’re hurting me,” I shouted, trying to slap his arm away. Then I winced, remembering the cut along my cheek. He may have felt the temporary pain, but I was the one who had to live with these scars.

“On the contrary, _you’re_ the one hurting me,” he corrected, pressing the cloth with more pressure on purpose. “I know you’re willing to kill yourself in order to have me killed, but next time, choose a quicker method.”

“It’s not like I had a choice,” I mumbled, watching the crown prince continue to engage in this uncharacteristically tender behavior.

_“She’s someone important to me.”_

The words replayed itself in my mind and I wondered whether they had been real. My heart wanted to race at the thought, but I did not permit it. It was not supposed to mean anything. I was his lifeline. If I die, he dies. He saved me in order to save himself. He is the selfish crown prince, after all.

“What were you doing there?” He asked, dabbing the cloth to my collarbone. “To kill Jihye?”

I smirked, holding my pain to continue taunting him. It was actually getting better. “Not only are you handsome, you’re smart too.”

He held my gaze for a moment, his lips stretching into a similar grin. “That’s the first time you’ve called me handsome.”

“I thought it was a known fact considering women throw themselves at you every day.”

“It’s different when my soulmate says it.”

My smirk turned into a frown, feeling my heart about to prance into a rhythmic gallop. He was using his hypnosis to charm me again, and my weak human heart softened at every flirtatious remark. I had to remain cautious and remember he wielded his beguiling charm as a weapon.

“It’d be better if you stay away from Jihye and Jongdae altogether,” he warned.

“Why? Afraid I’d spill your secret?” I asked, remembering that I might have done so already. In my defense, I did not elaborate which brother Jihye made out with, but anyone in the kingdom knew Minseok was not one to engage in such immoral behavior.

“Afraid you’ll die,” he corrected, using such gentleness in his cadence that made me believe he could actually care for me. But we both knew his words translated to “Afraid I’ll die.”

“I know what to expect now and can prepare myself for his attacks,” I said, wanting to prove the vigorous fighter in me. But the moment I raised my arm to show off my karate chop, I heard a joint crack, and cried in pain again.

“Stop hurting us,” Baekhyun said, pushing my arm back to the bed. “I’ve been trying to tend to your wounds for the past few hours, but it’s not working. You humans are weak.”

I squinted my eyes. Why would he continue to press the cloth against me if it did nothing but bring me—us—pain? Was he like Jongdae who took pleasure in pain? Or was he clueless and hopeful that it’d heal me—us—eventually?

“What about the vampire who can heal?” I asked, moving my fingers to imitate that guy who had healed the cut from Baekhyun’s stab before. I believe his name was Lay.

Baekhyun raised his lips suggestively, cocking his head up. “Did you really think I’d allow others to look at my soulmate’s body?”

I opened my mouth to protest, but realized his words were overly protective and possessive at the same time. There was no benefit for him for doing this, and once again, it tugged on my heart. My logic, however, was smart enough not to fall for whatever games he was trying to play. If he was trying to make me fall for him, I would guard my heart and make sure I wouldn’t.

If that healing vampire dude was not allowed to heal me, and neither was the water and towel working, there seemed to be only one other way. My mind traced back to the incident just hours before I got hurt. To the time when I visited Minseok’s room and learned a new fact about the vampire race.

“I thought that there was some sort of healing ability in a vampire’s tongue or saliva,” I began, keeping my face as straight as possible, even when I noticed Baekhyun’s eyes lit up with more than just interest.

“How do you know about that?”

“I-I read about it,” I lied. I wasn’t going to confess I had seen it work—or rather, got a first hand experience of it. Thinking about Minseok’s tongue made my cheeks heat up. In fact, my entire body suddenly felt hot all over, needing a replay of that moment.

“Huh,” Baekhyun hummed, moving from his seat to position himself on top of me. His arms stretched on either side of me, trapping me in between. This wasn’t the first time he had closed the distance between us, but only now did I become aware of his scent. He smelled like jasmine, a sweet floral fragrance, a disguise for the sensual facet hidden underneath, a scent that heightened my desire to find out what he was truly capable of.

His red eyes were feral as he took in the scar on my cheek, trailing all the way to my mouth. I heard him hitch a breath, releasing the gust of warmth against my lips, tingling and arousing. Seeing my body stiffen in anticipation, his lips curled into a dark sneer.

“So what are you implying, sweetheart?”

I lost myself in his gaze, no longer cruel or playful, but completely lewd. He undressed me with his eyes, licking his lips at the visuals he had formed in his mind. I huffed a breath, feeling discomfort at his idleness. I wanted him to make a move—to touch me with his long fingers and roam his lips all over my body. I couldn’t take this anymore.

“Heal me,” I rasped, the plea hanging on loose threads of desperation.

Baekhyun smothered his lips into a grin, flashing his fangs as if he was waiting for me to give in to my despair. He leaned down to my neck, the tip of his tongue flicking playfully over the cut. The smallest move felt good, and I wanted more. I needed more. I wasn’t thinking when I groaned a sound of protest, unwilling him from holding back.

I could hear his annoying scoff, enjoying the sight of my agony. “You’re overly needy, sweetheart.”

“Then do something about it.” I met his calculative gaze, realizing he was waiting to see how far my distress would extend to. So I abandoned whatever was left of my pride and breathed, “Please?”

And that was it. Like a switch had been turned on, he roughly pressed his lips on mine, taking the breath out of my lungs. Before I had the chance to kiss him back, he dipped lower to my neck, his tongue taking over. I no longer felt the pain of my wound when the tingly sensation of his tongue numbed my mind. He moved in circular motions, gently nibbling at the soft part of my skin that extracted inaudible moans from me.

Unlike Minseok, Baekhyun’s moves were skillful, showing his expertise and numerous experiences with other women before. He knew exactly when to lick softer, and when to suck harder. When to emit more pressure, and when to let go and leave me wanting for more. In mere seconds, he had me craving for him, terrified he’d let go. In my dizzying moment of desperation, I wrapped my arms around him.

“I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart,” he mumbled against my neck.

Before I could breath out a sigh of relief, he forcefully crashed his lips on me for the second time. His tongue entered my mouth without permission, overtaking and wrestling my tongue in wet, hungry motions. I tasted the iron of my own blood, knowing it had him intoxicated.

I was hopelessly aware of his cold fingers tangling itself in my hair, falling over my cheek, trailing down my collarbones, and finally reaching the bloody cut on my breast.

I gasped for breath, feeling my chest huff with uncontrollable desire.

His cold fingers teasingly stroke the cut, hooking itself to the top of my bra, lowering it halfway in an agonizingly slow manner. Even in this moment, he was cruel. He eyed my impatience, smirking as he let his tongue flick over the upper part of my breast, all the while continuing to hold my gaze. Slowly, his teasing licks turned into hungry sucks, devouring me in his mouth.

Pain was replaced by utmost pleasure, and I couldn’t help but moan again, grabbing his hair to push him to where I needed him to be. But the more I pushed, the more he resisted.

Before I knew it, his tongue was no longer on me. He pulled himself away, coming face to face with me to show off the smugness on his handsome face.

“That should do it,” he declared, watching proudly at the way I had come undone before him. He licked the last bit of my blood on his lips, ensuring I watched his tongue move sensually.

My chest was still rising with unfulfilled need. My hair was a a tangled mess. He knew I enjoyed his touch, and for that reason, he was cruel enough to stop midway.

“Sadly my brother didn’t leave a cut between your legs. I would’ve loved to help you there,” Baekhyun said, trailing his fingers over my inner thigh, knowing exactly what kind of mental images he was creating in my mind as I hitched my breath.

I groaned, kneeing him with the strength in my leg. I had regained my energy thanks to him, and the cuts no longer hurt. But I wouldn’t give him the courtesy of my gratitude—not when he left me hanging like that.

Steadily, I pushed myself up, leaning my back against the wooden headrest. Baekhyun never took his eyes off of me, returning to the crown prince I had gotten acquainted with. Utterly despicable and annoying.

He ignored my glowering and moved his hand over the empty space next to me, creating a roll of bandage to appear where his hand had been. This was his power at work, and my widened eyes betrayed my amazement.

“They won’t last long, but it should help you recover by bandaging your wound,” Baekhyun said, cocking his head as a signal for me to take it. He was putting a clear restriction to our raunchy session.

I reluctantly picked it up from bed, weighing the item. The quality was sturdier and softer than any of the bandages Minseok had ever given me during our brutal trainings. Whatever Baekhyun created turned out to be better than the actual tangible item.

“What do you mean it won’t last long?” I eyed him skeptically, my sensual desire replaced by curiosity now.

“There’s a limit to my power. Whatever I conjure won’t last longer than an hour,” Baekhyun spoke, thinking me dumb for not possessing this common knowledge. He eyed his hand, forming his fingers into a fist as if assessing the extent of his abilities.

I maintained my poker face, showing no hints of excitement at this newly obtained information. Baekhyun was powerful, but he had openly revealed his weakness to me. This explained the disappearance of the chains around my wrists by the time I woke up. He wasn’t that mighty after all.

“Does it only happen to you?” I carefully ask, restricting my prying as some sort of concern. If it was a family thing, it’d be great to know that I could ambush Jongdae and make him pay for what he did to me.

The vast grin on his pretty face showed his unwillingness to share the information. “I don’t give my information for free, sweetheart.”

Somehow, the lacy temptation in his voice intrigued me. If my body had fully recovered, I’d willingly participate in his game of seduction, climbing on his lap to usher the information out of those lips that had just kissed me all over. Our goal was no long to hurt one another, and the frustration needed to be unleashed in different ways.

“What do you want in exchange for it?” I slurred my voice alluringly, realizing I was pretty much still dressed in only a bra. A part of me couldn’t help but hope he’d ask for a continuation of our earlier session.

“I shall tell you if there’s something I desire,” he spoke, his gaze ferociously fixated on my exposed cleavage. He could easily claim me right now, but he didn’t. It was a stark reminder of his earlier threat, he loved to torture his victims through pleasure, or rather, the lack of it. And I had foolishly given myself away to be tormented.

In my moment of protest, I pulled the blanket higher up, covering my body to my neck up. He wasn’t getting any view if he was unwilling to give me what I wanted. But then I remembered I still had an arm to bandage, so my arm peeked out to take it, quickly returning under the blanket to wrap my chest. I could do this in the dark, so the slight limitations on my movement due to the blanket should not be a problem.

He kept watching me like I was an interesting attraction. Another smile threatened to escape his lips. “You are by far the most fascinating human I have ever met.”

I scoffed. “Are you mocking me now?”

“It was a compliment. No mortal has ever endured Jongdae’s tortures before.” His fascination soon turned into a disapproving frown. “Then again, no mortal had foolishly volunteered to get tortured.”

“I didn’t volunteer, I got caught,” I said, tying the bandage tighter using my teeth.

He stayed silent, crossing his arms over the other as he leaned back against the chair. He continued to peruse me, searching for his next words, wondering how to deal with me. “I can no longer let you out of my sight. You’ll only end up getting us both killed.”

This sounded familiar, and I laughed, remembering his previous attempts. “So, what? Are you going to throw me in jail? Are you granting me mercy by tying me up in your room again? We both know how well that worked out.”

If my words offended him, it did not show. He seemed rather impressed, nodding his head in approval of my skills. I had escaped him twice, and whatever he’d come up with this time, I would do it again.

“In fact, I’ve thought of something far more effective. A solution that would put you under constant surveillance while also allowing you freedom to stay safe by my side,” Baekhyun spoke. He got up from his seat, heading to open the door to his room.

In broad daylight, the corridor was bustling with human servant girls and vampire guards. How long had I been out for? It seemed like a day had passed.

Baekhyun pointed a finger to whoever was passing by, rudely commanding “You! Come here.”

I sat up straighter in bed when I realized that the servant he had called out to was Heejin. She looked confused and surprised at my presence, even blushing when she realized I was wearing nothing but a bra, sitting in the crown prince’s bed. Great, Baekhyun and I continued to create misunderstandings when in fact, nothing happened.

“What is your name?” Baekhyun demanded.

“S-Song Heejin,” she gulped, afraid to meet Baekhyun’s cold eyes.

“Heejin, I need you to help the lady over there get cleaned up and dressed in the finest gown you can find in this palace,” Baekhyun commanded, his tone playful with an underlying hint of intimidation.

I furrowed my eyebrows. This did not sound like a punishment or an imprisonment. What was he planning?

“B-But, I’m still new here. I don’t know where the finest dresses are located at,” Heejin stammered.

“Well, since you’re new, I will teach you the first rule of order.” Baekhyun leaned closer to her ear. “Never disobey the crown prince.”

Heejin flinched, her entire body trembling in fear. “Y-Yes, Your Highness,” she squeaked, sending me one last helpless glance before she strode out to carry out her task.

“What are you doing?” I asked, regaining the strength to move out of his bed the moment he closed the door. I marched up to him, seeing the cruel smirk make a reappearance.

“I’m keeping you close to me without arising any suspicion,” he answered, his voice velvety smooth as his hands slid over my waist, linking at my back, pulling me closer to him.

“I’ll announce you as my betrothed.”


	10. Preparation

I blinked, and poked my pinky finger in my ear to make sure I had heard him correctly.

“Betrothed? As in your fiancee?” I asked, the disbelief clear in my raised pitch.

Baekhyun nodded, staring me down with his blood red eyes that seemed to shimmer with mischief and malicious plans.

There are a thousand reasons I could think of why this was a terrible idea, but in my moment of astonishment, I could only think of one thing that could possibly change his mind.

“A-Are you sure? You won’t be able to sleep with other girls ever again.”

“Says who? Even if we’re engaged, I won’t swear my loyalty to you. Consider it an open relationship,” he said smirking.

Clearly, infidelity was a recurring theme among these vampires. Baekhyun easily slept with his younger brother’s fiancee, how could I expect him to have some moral decency? Even if our engagement were to be faked, I didn’t want to be treated so dreadfully.

“However, if you become possessive of me, I will forgo my relationship with other girls, as long as you continue to please me,” he said, dipping his voice low. He had the audacity to brush his finger over my cheek, stroking in a way that reminded me of the way he had touched me before.

Darn. It seemed I had developed a new weakness, and Baekhyun was aware of it too. I bit my lip, trying my hardest not to give in to his physical caress, racking my brain for more arguments.

“I’m human. They won’t believe you would be willing to get engaged to a mortal,” I spat.

“Well,” he whispered mewly, moving his other hand to cup my cheek, leaning in closer until I could feel his breath caressing my lips. “We’ll just have to convince them that we’re madly in love.”

He pressed his lips against me, exerting a gentleness I didn’t know he’d be capable of. His hands moved to the small of my back, holding me as if I was a soft feather that needed to be treated with extra care. Somehow, he almost had me believe this was real, like this entire charade was just an excuse to be with me.

Wanting to believe him, I found my lips reciprocating his kiss. Unlike earlier, he wasn’t being rough. He was being too gentle, and extremely calculative. He did not press further, keeping his pace constant. But I could feel his lips curving into a smirk when I pressed harder, like… he tricked me into wanting him.

I pulled away at once, realizing that he was trying to manipulate me through my weakness, which turned out to be his touches and kisses. If he thought I’d go along with his stupid plan just so that I could taste more of him, well, he wasn’t wrong.

“You’re mad,” I said, glaring at him.

“Something we both have in common.” He grinned, taking it as a compliment.

When my stupid hormonal rage began to calm down, I started to think more clearly. If I were to agree to this idea, what would Minseok think? Would he be repelled, or think of me as overly ambitious? Maybe he’d even be impressed.

Every struggle could turn into a victory. In my position as the crown prince’s betrothed, I could sabotage his coronation. I could defile his reputation in the public’s eye. Maybe Baekhyun didn’t have to die, but I could change the public’s opinion to demand him off the throne.

This was brilliant.

Of course, I could not seem too eager, or he’d be suspicious of my real motive. I had to pretend my conversion was courtesy of his enticing invitation.

“What if I refuse?” I asked seductively, almost purring as I traced my fingers along his exposed collarbone.

“I’ll give you a reason not to,” Baekhyun whispered back, planting kisses on my cheek. His lips trailed down to my neck and shoulder. I tilted my head, feeling too much pleasure from his moves.

He thought he was convincing me, but he was really playing into one of my tricks. The more he kissed, the more I moaned, though I wasn’t sure they were as forged as I intended them to be. Either way, he believed I would agree just so I could sleep with him.

“I’ll agree on one condition,” I said, acting my part as the lustful and possessive fiancee. “Even if we’re faking it, I want you to look at me and only me. As long as we’re engaged, you’ll be loyal to me.”

Baekhyun studied my firm expression. “You know, you’re quite adorable when you’re jealous.” He tilted my chin with his finger, but I slapped him away.

“I’m not jealous. But if you want to convince the people that we’re madly in love, you wouldn’t fool around with other girls,” I offered a very legit reasoning. “That includes your first love, Jihye.”

Baekhyun pursed his lips, appearing less devilish and more boyish. If it weren’t for his pale skin, red eyes, and ethereal beauty, he’d be a handsome mortal boy.

“Fine,” he finally agreed. “But you’ll have to behave, or I’ll _torture_ you again.”

I held back the impulse to roll my eyes. He was so full of himself, believing I wanted him, even if it were slightly true. I did not love him, but I lusted after him. Those were two very different things.

A soft knock came from the door, and Baekhyun left me standing as he opened it. When he spotted a large soft blue gown with the human servant hidden behind its weight, he grinned at me.

“You have an hour to make yourself presentable. I’ll arrange with the King to make a public statement this evening.” With that, he left the room, leaving me and Heejin alone.

“Yeonji,” she squeaked, her body still trembling after Baekhyun had left. She moved inside, taking careful strides not to step on the gown itself. From up close she saw traces of my cuts, and horror sunk in her eyes. “What is going on? I’m so confused. Did he do this to you?”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words. I had been in the company of men for too long that I forgot how nice it was to have a female friend, a human one, at that. She showed genuine concern in a more upfront way compared to Minseok who was all about coming up with solutions and reminders to be careful.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” I told her, but her gaze was on the bandage wrapped around my chest. “He helped me, actually.”

Heejin scrunched her eyebrows, as if the concept of the cruel crown prince helping me was a concept too impossible to comprehend. “Why would he do that? Why is he telling you to dress up? What’s going on?”

The girl had so many questions. At this point, I wasn’t sure if I could trust her with my secrets. There was a difference between liking someone and trusting someone. Heejin seemed like the type who could blurt everything out when she was threatened. I could not risk being exposed just because I liked her. Minseok was the only person I could trust, but this was not the kind of message I could pass on through Heejin.

In fact, if I were to become Baekhyun’s fiancee, I might have to start making it seem as believable as possible. The more people were convinced by our fake charade, the better my chances were to overthrow him from the throne.

“He cares for me. In fact, he can’t live without me,” I said. I wasn’t exaggerating or making it up. Without me, he’d literally die.

“Wow.” Poor Heejin did not understand the truth behind my words, hesitantly licking her lips. “How did that happen?”

“Trust me, you don’t wanna know the details,” I said.

Her eyes went over my chest again and quickly looked away. I was still dressed very immodestly. “I have a feeling I don’t.”

I chuckled at that and let her lead me to the bathroom. My eyes widened at the luxurious bathtub filling up nearly one third of the space. There were four pillars around the circular tub, holding up the upper structure. This was the perks of being his fake fiancee. Everything he had access to, I would too.

Heejin turned the faucet on after she had finished her awestruck staring session as well. She seemed to have adjusted to the life of a palace servant. Remembering the benevolence Minseok had treated her with, there was no way she wouldn’t have liked her new role.

I had never needed someone’s else’s help to take a bath, but Heejin was a natural as she took off my bandage and gently helped me dip in the water. Then she took a scrub and began scrubbing my back and arms.

“You really don’t have to do this,” I said a little awkwardly, covering myself using the water’s deep blueish color, so thick it barely refracted my reflection underwater.

“I have to obey the crown prince’s command,” she said gently. “Besides, I’m used to this. I used to bathe my sister too.”

I looked up at her. “You have a sister?”

“Used to. Until the late queen decided to behead her for accidentally splashing some mud on her dress,.”

The sweet girl I had come to known glared to a far off distance with pure hatred, an expression I didn’t think she was capable of making. She pinched my arm a little harder, but I decided not to tell her.

“That’s not worthy of a death sentence,” I mumbled, remembering the injustice during the cruel queen’s reign when she was still alive. I now knew whom Jongdae took after.

“They try to find fault for the smallest things, needing an excuse to kill off the human race,” Heejin continued, her hand trembling while holding me. “I hate that there’s nothing we can do about it.”

I almost blurted out the truth, that we weren’t as powerless as we thought we were. We had a powerful ally, Minseok. If anyone could save the humans from oppression, it’d be him. But that was another secret, and she could not become privy of that knowledge.

“You must hate all vampires then?” I asked

“Yes!” But then her confidence slurred into hesitance, and I could see her cheeks flush pink. “Well, it would be unfair to justify all of them as evil creatures. Some of them can be really kind.”

I did not like where this was going. “Like Prince Minseok?”

Heejin flinched, letting go of my arm as she fiddled with the apron on her outfit. Her blush took on a deeper shade. “W-Well, ever since you brought me to him, he’s been really nice. He was always known to be the royal who treats human beings like an equal.”

Minseok was charming in his own way, beautiful on the outside and the inside. Many people were infatuated with him. The fact he distanced himself from immoral acts made him all the more desirable. It seemed he managed to entice even Heejin.

“I saw you in his room the other night. What were you doing there?” I asked, leveling my voice away from jealousy.

“He invited me over. Said he wanted to make sure I was alright after I had been unfairly kept as prisoner. He even apologized on the King’s behalf,” Heejin said. “I don’t really remember what happened after we drank wine.”

Clearly, she got drunk. I hope she didn’t make a move on Minseok, though I was certain he’d be enough of a gentleman to kindly turn her down. But then again, the way he kissed my neck that night was far from a gentleman’s mien. Should I be worried?

After we talked more about her life after being freed by me, I finished my bathing. Heejin handed me a towel and went back into the room as I dried myself off.

“Should I help you?” She asked when I walked into the room, seeing a roll of bandage in her hand. It was the same one that Baekhyun had conjured which would dissipate into thin air in a few more minutes.

“Sure,” I say, holding my arms out so she could wrap the bandage around my chest. Luckily I had already gotten dressed in my undergarment at this point.

When she turned around, I quickly sneaked my knife into the sheath on my upper thigh. If I were to be in a room filled with vampires, I needed to know I could defend myself.

Heejin brought a gown to me, a soft dusty blue outfit that faded into a shimmering shade of greyish silver. As I slipped into it, the puffy sleeves made of a thinner fabric than the rest of the gown extended all the way to my elbow. The bodice was pressed tightly around my body, tied by a long strap forming a ribbon. It extended all the way to me neck, covering the bandage wrapped around me. The rest of the dress cascaded perfectly to the floor, embroidered by intrinsic flowery patterns to one side. I had no idea where Heejin obtained it from, but it was a magnificent dress truly fit for a crown prince’s betrothed.

Then she sat me down on the chair next to the bed, and took out several items from behind her apron. I’ve seen this before. The girls on the dancer’s team used it to beautify themselves on the night I tried to kill Baekhyun. It made their skin appear brighter, their eyes wider, their lips redder. I had no idea how to use it that night, and pretty much slapped whatever I could steal to my face. Huh, maybe that was why Baekhyun initially didn’t want to pick me.

“Why do you look so surprised? Have you never used makeup?” Heejin asked, applying some white powder on my face, putting an extra amount to the cut running from my cheek to my lip. Then she took a small bowl with crushed, semi-wet charcoal in it. She took a brush, dipped it in, and angled my face toward the light. With gentle precision, she drew a line on my eye. Then she proceeded to take the same substance in red and used her fingers to draw dots on my cheeks, and fill in my lips.

“You’re really good at this,” I say when she moved to work on my cheeks, brushing out the red dots she had painted.

“I used to do this for my sister too, even though she dreaded it. It was a requirement to attend festivities,” Heejin answered.

I quirked an eyebrow. Festivities? The only humans invited to attend any form of festivities were usually the higher ranked ones. Perhaps not as high as any vampire would be, but prestigious enough to receive an invitation. Somehow, I believed there was more to Heejin’s humble appearances than she let on.

“There, you’re all done,” she said, tapping my face a final time before stepping backward, cocking her head to admire her work. Her smile grew, pleased with my looks.

Right at that moment, the door opened. Based on the light shuffling with a hint of authoritative pressure in his steps, I could tell it was Baekhyun’s.

The moment I turned to face him, I saw a change in his expression. The firmness between his eyebrows softened. The glint of malice in his red eyes turned into genuine surprise. The cruel smirk on his face parted into a small oval, almost as if he was pleased with Heejin’s work too.

“Doesn’t she look lovely, Your Highness?” Heejin chirped cheerfully, clasping her hands together.

“Yes, I release you from your duty,” Baekhyun said, swaying his hands to dismiss Heejin, never taking his eyes off of me.

With his constant attention, I almost felt bashful. I had no idea how I looked like, and I expected him to burst into a boisterous laughter any moment now. This new look was making me uncomfortable and nervous at the same time. This was not how assassins dressed.

Baekhyun waited until Heejin closed the door behind her before stepping closer to me, snaking an arm around my waist as if he couldn’t stop himself from wanting to touch me. My back was no longer bare, and I couldn’t feel his cold fingertips. His touch, however, made me feel warm all over.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered.

My heart was the first to react, beating tumultuously at his generous compliment. Baekhyun had never been one to withhold his words if something pleased him—it was one of his many charms. I’ve always wondered how genuine his words were, until this moment when he looked at me as if I were truly valuable, as if he was proud to claim me as his own, as if he _wanted_ me as his soulmate.

“You look like an evil prince from hell,” I reciprocated, because unlike Baekhyun, I couldn’t admit how marvelous he looked at this moment. He was dressed in a royal outfit fit for a prince, the dark navy color somehow matching my dress. The darkness surrounding his eyes seemed even darker than usual, but he looked perfectly malicious.

He smirked. “Thank you.”

With that, he offered his arm to me, and I supposed the proper response was to link my hand around him. So I did, and he placed his free hand on top of mine, leading the way out of his door.

“What am I supposed to do?” I asked, feeling the cold handle of my knife brushing against my inner thigh as we walked.

“Pretend like you’re utterly, madly in love with me.”

I smirked, leaning myself a little closer to him to start the charade. “That I can do.”


	11. Announcement

Everywhere we went, the guards’ and servants’ eyes followed us. How could they not? If they remembered me as the dancer who boldly proclaimed to make the crown prince’s wildest fantasies come true, they’d wonder why I was still with him. If they did not recognize me, they’d wonder where I came from and why I was linking arms with the crown prince.

As an assassin, I had been trained to conceal myself and stay hidden. But that was definitely not the case now. I’d drown in fame after today’s announcement.

We stopped in front of the large door, maroon colored with gold embellishment all around. I recognized this from my training sessions with Minseok. It was the door leading to the banquet hall, the chamber where every festivities and other important events were held at. Two guards stood watch on either side, but I could feel their burning curiosity on me.

“Ready, sweetheart?” Baekhyun asked, pulling his blazer down to tidy himself up, not knowing he made it worse. It made him appear nervous.

I let go of his arm and gently helped him tidy his cravat, tucking it into his blazer. The affectionate move was only for show, to give these guards something to spread around when they finish their shift.

“As long as you are,” I said softly, giving Baekhyun a small peck on his lips. Oh, those lips. I held my urge to taste more of them. Not now.

When I pulled back, I saw Baekhyun smirk. Whether he was impressed by my act or knew about my held back desires, he was amused. He placed my hand around his arm and ordered the guards to open the door.

I did my best to remain stoic on the outside, not giving away my identity as the poor human orphan who had never seen such luxury firsthands. 

Nearly everything in the room was made of pure, authentic gold, shimmering when looked at from different angles. Tables and fancy satin chairs were placed in a U-shaped layout, the king’s throne along with the princes’ set on a higher podium. It was decorated like a fairytale wedding with silver plates and platinum colored napkins. 

The place was already bustling with people, each seated at their respective places. I was in a room filled with the highest ranked vampires in this city. One explosion, and they’d all be history. But then I spotted Minseok amongst the crowd, staring at me with confusion and disbelief. The bomb plan was out of question.

Next to him were both Jongdae and Jihye. Jongdae watched me with feral eyes. Whatever Baekhyun had done when rescuing me did not scare his psycho brother away. Instead, it flickered his eyes with vile interest, something akin to the lust for pain and a desire for blood. I gripped Baekhyun tighter.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispered to me.

His words set my heart loose, and I quickly had to remind myself that it was a selfish offer. Of course he wouldn’t let anything happen to me if it meant that he’d feel the pain as well.

We continued our march to the center table on the podium, and now I noticed Jihye. She was terribly good at masking her emotion, but I saw the occasional twitch in her lips as she glared me down. She also looked at Baekhyun several times, hoping to make eye contact. But he valued our promise and didn’t look at her even once. Somehow, that gave me some satisfaction.

We stopped in front of the king whose throne reigned in the center of the podium. Minseok, Jongdae, and Jihye were seated on his left, and two empty chairs were on his right. I supposed Baekhyun had given him a heads up about his plus one companion.

“My son, I have gathered everyone here on such short notice because you claim to have something important to announce,” the king spoke. Though there was authority in his voice, every syllable required a weak and breathy effort to enunciate. Everyone knew the king was sick and that his health was depleting everyday, but humans did not get the privilege to hear and see him from this up close. If he were human, his blanched skin would indicate a lifespan of no longer than a day. But he was a vampire, and I had no idea how to measure those.

“Indeed, Father.” Baekhyun suddenly spoke so formal that I had the sudden urge to scoff. But I didn’t. He pulled me along to face the audience. “There is an important announcement to make. I am Baekhyun, the crown prince of this land. By the time I become king, it is only right for me to take a queen.”

The people gasped and murmured through one another, but Baekhyun took both my hands in his grasps and bought it to his lips.

“My people, you are looking at your future queen, my betrothed, Choi Yeonji.”

The vampires were in an uproar, complaining about this stranger who would become their queen. But all I could hear was the way Baekhyun elicited my name. I thought he called me sweetheart because he had forgotten my name, but he actually remembered. I had to stop myself from smiling at the thought, stopping the warmth from spreading through my body.

“Your Highness, if I am not mistaken, isn’t she the woman gifted to you the other day?” One protested.

“She’s human! How could our queen be human?” Another bellowed.

Baekhyun smirked at their protests. He cupped my face all of a sudden, and kissed me deeply and passionately in front of everyone. It was the kind of scandalous kiss that was more suited in a bedroom. Then he let go, and faced everyone as he licked my red lipstick from his lips.

“If you do not wish for her to be your queen, you may leave Addrelida. In fact, I could exile you,” he spoke rather playfully, but the cold flicker in his eyes indicated anything but. Wasn’t he aware that he’d make more enemies this way? 

Good.

“I love her, and that is all the reason I need to make her my queen.”

With that, he sat down on his father’s right side, helping me to my seat. My heart was racing, not because of the chaos he created, but because he claimed to love me. This was all an act, but hearing those words was like water being poured on parched land. Any my land was extremely dry. Growing up as an orphan, no one had spoken those words to me.

“Well, that’s some wonderful news.” The king roared a hearty laughter that made his shoulder bounce. “My son has found himself a future queen. We should all be grateful. Now, let’s feast to celebrate this wonderful announcement.”

I kept my emotions intact, showing no signs of suspicions I held over the king. He was not known as an easy man, and the fact he accepted this announcement without a doubt only heightened my alertness. What was he playing at? Did he know we were just acting? Did he know we were soulmates?

My thoughts were interrupted when I saw Minseok look at me. The night I joined the dancing troupe, Minseok was supposed to treat me invisible. But today, I was the center of attention. Numerous people looked at me, but I only held the eldest prince in my eyes.

His fingers restlessly tapped against the table with an inconsistent rhythm. It was something he did whenever an issue troubled his mind. He flickered his gaze to Baekhyun several times, but voiced no opinion to oppose this public announcement. I’d like to believe the knot on his face indicated anger and jealousy. 

“So, Yeonji, is it?” A sweet and soft feminine voice spoke, and I turned to see it was Jihye. “How do you know Baekhyun?”

From her, I could sense an obvious threat of jealousy. I wondered why she was engaged to the cruel Jongdae when she clearly had feelings for Baekhyun. Unless she loved them both. Greedy woman.

“From the night he was supposed to select a woman to bed,” I answered like it was something I was proud of. It was fun to watch her frown with dismay, and to see Minseok and the king’s jaw drop open. But Jongdae’s lips curved into a twisted grin, and I held back my desire to pick up the fork and thrust it in his eyes.

“At least, that’s what she thinks,” Baekhyun said, taking my hand from the table and placed it on his lap where his thumb kept rubbing endless circles, making me feel all warm again. “I spotted her once when I went out of the palace. I saw her in her most graceful moment, and felt inclined to approach her. How fortunate I was to see her appear again during the other night.”

I blinked, not knowing whether he was stating the truth or making things up.

“What graceful moment do you speak of that captured your attention on one woman instead of many?” Minseok spoke up, and I mentally nodded to second this question.

“Well, she was hidden in an alleyway, alone with a man. I was worried that something might happen, so I watched. That was when I watched her perform a dance so graceful, that the other man transcended to a different world. I was mesmerized.”

I didn’t know how to react to his story, remembering exactly the day he referred to. There were rumors about a vampire bothering a human village, demanding a percentage of their tax. He was by no means a tax or debt collector, but the people didn’t know that and obeyed. I followed him to nicely ask him to return the money. When he refused, I slit my dagger across his throat in one sweeping motion that could look like a choreographed move. He did transcend into the world of the death. 

Had Baekhyun really seen all that? Had I not been careful enough to conceal my kill? Why would he choose to spend the night with a murderer? Then again, he did disarm me in the room as if he had anticipated it.

“So you are attracted to her for being a whore,” Jongdae spoke, and it was Minseok who sent him a death glare.

“I’m attracted to her because of what she can do and for what she is,” Baekhyun spoke calmly, not letting Jongdae mess with his emotions.

I knew exactly what this meant. What I can do was to hurt him. What I was, was his soulmate. 

If he truly saw me kill that vampire without being detected, then I underestimated his skills once again. He was probably much stronger and more powerful than he let on, especially if he had the ability to conjure things out of nothing.

I remembered the bandage around my chest. Hopefully, my wounds won’t open up and start to bleed through my dress when the hour was up.

“That sounds like a wonderful encounter. Now, let’s feast!” The king called out, clapping his hands to signal a bunch of waiters to enter. As expected, they were all human.

They didn’t carry one or two trays, but were forced to balance five different ones using their body. This wasn’t about bringing the food, but about putting up an extravagant show. The guards were whipping people, forcing them to fall on their knees, all plates and food scattered. This was the actual show, wasn’t it?

To my horror, I noticed Heejin entering the room, carrying trays that were twice her size. She couldn’t take one step without wiggling, resembling a clown exaggerating the clumsiness. She was so terrible at balancing that it attracted several vampires to point and laugh at her. Several guards had closed in, ready to do some whipping.

Heejin let out a small gasp, tripping over her own skirt. I immediately got up from my seat, about to help her if anyone dared to lay a finger on her. But somehow, the plates and food never made it to the ground. They floated steadily in front of her while Heejin felt an invisible force pull her backward to her feet. The plates and trays returned to the way she had held them before, but more steadily this time.

I immediately turned my gaze to Minseok, seeing him furtively flick his finger behind his other arm. When he noticed me staring, he winked, and I couldn't help but smile. He was using his powers to help her.

“No fun,” Jongdae mumbled under his breath, clattering his utensils against the table. Then he looked up at me, and I realized I was still standing. “Maybe you’d like to provide today’s entertainment, harlot? You’re part of a dancing troupe, aren’t you?”

I saw Minseok about to open his mouth to defend me, and I really didn’t want to risk exposing our relation to one another. I could handle this perfectly well on my own.

“And what makes you think I’d allow you a look at my fiancee’s dancing?” But it was Baekhyun who spoke first, gently wrapping his cold fingers around mine to pull me back to my seat. “If she were to put on a show, I’d be her only audience.”

Though he was exceptional at playing the role of a man in love, a part of me was almost touched at his protective portrayal. Unless he was stating his actual wishes and desires.

“No fair. You used to share your women, brother,” Jongdae said.

“That’s why you’re with Jihye now, aren’t you?” He replied.

My eyes widened, unable to hide my scandalized expression this time. Did Baekhyun purposely let Jongdae have Jihye? I thought she was his first love and that Jongdae had somehow stolen her, but this was rich.

“I’m with Jihye because she chose me,” Jongdae corrected, gnashing his teeth to show off his vampire fangs. 

He made a display to prove his point, pulling Jihye in to plant a sloppy wet kiss on her. Though she reciprocated, I could see the reluctance in her body language. She leaned closer to the back of her chair than she did to him, and her arms stayed idle beside her.

When Jongdae pulled away, her eyes immediately found Baekhyun, probably searching for traces of jealousy. But my soulmate was remarkable. His cold expression even had me fooled into believing that he no longer cared for her. 

The waiters finally set the meals in front of us, along with golden cups that looked like goblets especially prepared for the royal table. If I’m not mistaken, those were rubies, diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds decorated around the goblet.

As servants made rounds to pour some wine, I wrinkled my nose. Something odd, like an entity that does not belong in the picture. Were the wines too outdated?

“I would like to call a toast for my brother and his future bride.” Minseok raised his glass in the air. “To the future of Addrelida!”

“Cheers!” Everyone said, raising their glass too.

I was too occupied by this unusual stench that I forgot to join the toast. The smell was extremely faint and barely there, almost like it was meant to be concealed. It didn’t smell unpleasant, but rather, the opposite. It was sweet, the inviting kind of sweetness that urged you to come closer, and closer, and closer.

I followed my olfactory senses, sniffing until I realized it had come from Baekhyun. No, not from him, but from the cup he twirled in his hand. Wine was supposed to smell bitter or luxurious. It could only smell this sweet if... someone had tampered with it!

As Baekhyun smirked at whatever the others said and absentmindedly brought the cup closer to his mouth, I went with my first instinct and slapped it away from him. I watched the cup fall to the ground, red wine pouring out. There was nothing odd, and the smell seemed to have disappeared. Had I been wrong?

“What are you doing?” Baekhyun asked, his tone no longer gentle or favorable toward me.

“That wine,” I stammered, losing conviction in my own deed. “It was poisoned.”

I only knew of one poison that could alter the smell of any liquid to a sweet smelling one. A Rilith. But it was also supposed to dissolve anything if it made contact with something warm, like the insides of our mouth. 

“Foolish girl. How can it be poisoned? We have humans to test out the meal and dishes presented to the royal family,” Jihye spoke, elegantly taking a sip from her wine. She tilted her head when swallowing, rotating the cup in her hand. “See? Nothing happened. There’s no poison.”

I hated that smug look on her face, as if she was proving to everyone that she was more superior than me and more fit to become Baekhyun’s queen. It irked me.

So I shoved my chair back with a loud unpleasant noise and went to the spot where the wine had fallen. I dipped my finger in it and brought it to my nose. The odd smell was no more. It smelled like regular wine now.

Then I brought my attention to the cup and picked it up, immediately inhaling the familiar scent of something that was akin to Rilith, but not exactly. I may not know what it was, but I know what happened.

“Baekhyun, the poison wasn’t in the wine, but in your cup,” I said, exerting strength to set the cup down in front of my soulmate. “Someone tried to kill you.”


	12. Shelter

The panic was imminent in my voice and my warning was delivered loud and clear, but none of these stupid vampires took me seriously. I didn’t care about anyone but Baekhyun since my life was still connected to him. But he stared back at me with zero emotion in his eyes.

“Did you hear what I just said or is your cockiness making you deaf?” I blurted out, forgetting my role as the loving fiancee.

“I heard you,” he spoke, far too calmly for my taste. He gently patted the empty seat beside him, never inspecting the cup once. “Sit down, love.”

I frowned, wondering what he was playing at. The moment he knew I was about to annihilate him, he stabbed me first. But now, he didn’t even bother. There must be more to this.

“What are you—”

Before I could finish my sentence, a loud explosion sounded from the hallways, crashing the large entrance into broken pieces of wood. Then another one appeared within the banquet hall, and another, and another. The room was soon clouded, a fog so thick it obstructed our vision. Men and women started screaming in panic. Chairs crashed and plates clattered chaotically to the floor.

I didn’t have time to process what was happening when I heard the king command his sons to “use the underground passageway.”

Of course, every castle had a secret tunnel to escape in. I learned this from Minseok, but had never set foot in it.

I felt Baekhyun quickly searching for my hand amidst the fog, grabbing unto my wrist so tight as if he was afraid to let go and lose me. Then his hands slid down and encased itself around my fingers, a move so intimate and gentle that I felt my heart elate a little. I suppose I was craving for his touch, but I didn’t think I’d long for the sweet kind like this.

So I let him drag me away, blindly following him into the cloud of smoke. My vision was hindered, but my free hand was ready to grab my knife if things got out of hand. Random vampires bumped into my shoulder, and I had the greatest urge to slit their throats open. No one would know it was me. I could blame it on whoever tried to poison Baekhyun and set off these explosions. They were probably the same group of renegades. 

But as if Baekhyun knew what I was thinking, his steps fastened, leading me to what I assumed was the entrance to the underground passageway. I heard some knockings against the wall, the most classic and basic way of finding the secret lever. Finally, some sort of latch clicked, followed by a wooshing sound. I got pulled once again and entered a different environment.

Unlike the cave I imagined in my mind, this looked like another luxurious room. It was even equipped with a sofa, a bookcase, a desk, a bed, and another door at the end which led to who knows where.

“Is this one of your kinky playrooms?” I asked, of course choosing to attack the crown prince instead of properly thanking him.

“What?”

Except that the voice didn’t belong to Baekhyun. Once the fog cleared up, I was face to face with Minseok. I hitched my breath, painfully aware that I had been holding his hand.

“Sorry, I thought you were the crown prince,” I said, feeling my cheeks blushing. How could I mistake the sweet and protective Minseok for my bastard soulmate? It was an insult to Minseok.

“You seem disappointed that I’m not,” Minseok spoke. Whether he meant it as a tease or not, I saw the fakeness in his pressed smile, like a wrinkled paper that wasn’t supposed to bend that way.

“No way! You know I’d rather be with you than with that cocky vampire,” I snapped, blowing the strands away from my forehead.

Minseok maintained that courteous smile and went to sit at the bed. He could’ve used the chair at the desk, but he just had to choose the bed right after I described this place as a kinky playroom.

“I believe we have a lot to discuss,” he said, patting the space beside him. 

I slowly and stiffly made my way to follow his order and sit next to him. Our arms were almost touching. We were stuck in a hidden room. Just the two of us. I gulped again. 

He probably needed an explanation about my fake engagement. But instead, he asked a question that reminded me why I was so fond of him.

“Are you hurt? Why are you bandaged?” He asked, his cold fingers slowly touching my shoulder. 

Heejin did an excellent job at covering the bandage when she helped me dress, but somehow, Minseok’s hawk eyes managed to see what everyone else failed to. I looked down to his hand, seeing the bandage still intact. 

Strange. Didn’t Baekhyun say it would last no more than an hour? I was pretty sure an hour had passed. 

That bastard. He lied to me again.

“Are you okay? You’re tense,” Minseok’s voice brought me back to reality. I didn't realize I had clenched my fist.

“I’m fine. I was visually imagining myself punching the crown prince’s face.”

Minseok chuckled at this, a beautiful sound that made my heart flutter. I’ve always liked being the reason for his smiles and laughter.

“You seem to quite like him,” Minseok said, and I sensed the falter in his gleefulness. The delusional part of me wanted to believe he was jealous.

“I don’t. He told me to act as his fiancee so that he and the guards could keep an eye on me,” I said, swaying my hand at the idea.

“And you agreed because…”

“Because I have an idea!” My eyes sparked with vigor as I turned and positioned myself facing him. “Our goal is to ensure he wouldn’t get the throne, right? As his fiancee, I can mess up his reputation. I can get his people to hate him and me altogether.”

Minseok’s face twisted, his eyes and lips wrinkling with disapproval. Suddenly, his hand was cupping my cheek, the coldness of his touch spreading all over my face. “They could never hate you. I won’t allow them.”

My eyes lowered to his lips, and I expected him to do the same to me. If it were Baekhyun, he would’ve teased me knowing how much I wanted a kiss to happen. But Minseok, he was a gentleman in his sober state. There were no sudden moves here, sadly.

“Even though it is an excellent idea, that was not our original plan,” Minseok spoke, dropping his hand to find mine resting against my lap. “I want him dead.”

My eyes widened. My heart sank. My hands shivered, and I pulled away from him. “But… He’s my soulmate… If he dies…”

“Yeonji, you know I’ll always protect you. I would never hurt you,” Minseok said, watching me intently. When he noticed I had slightly leaned away from him, he let out a laugh again, like my terror was the greatest joke. Then he stopped and leaned closer to my ear.

“I found a way to break the soulmate curse.”

“What?”

I turned so abruptly that my lips brushed the side of his cheeks, touching the corner of his lips. I suppressed myself from whimpering out a desire to wholly feel his lips.

“It’s true,” Minseok whispered, slowly turning so that his lips were directly before mine, his breath caressing my lips as he spoke. “I have been doing a lot of research and studies. I may not have found the exact answer yet, but I know there is a way.”

I remembered the scribbles of weird symbols and pile of messy papers I saw in his room the other day. Could that be part of his research? He was trying to help me get rid of this curse so that I wouldn’t be bound to that stupid, arrogant Baekhyun again. Then, I can prove my worth as an assassin and kill the crown prince.

“You’ll be free, Yeonji,” Minseok whispered. I felt his heavy breath and closed my eyes, knowing what was to come. 

He pressed his lips against mine, a kiss so tender I was certainly not used to it. For years, I had dreamed of this moment, imagined what it would feel like to kiss this man. The kiss was vanilla, and I drank in the taste of wine on his lips. I could feel his anxiousness. Unlike Baekhyun who excelled at using every single muscle in his mouth, Minseok was a little awkward and hesitant, not knowing what to do. Rather than kissing, it felt more like a gentle lip brush.

I couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling him promptly pull himself away. 

“Have I done it wrong?” He asked. Funny how he asked me, assuming I was a more experienced kisser. Well, I did have to seduce men before going for the kill.

“No, I’m just surprised,” I said, bashfully pressing my lips together. Slitting someone’s throat was much easier than confessing to the person I like.

“Oh.” He scratched his head in embarrassment. Minseok seemed reluctant to meet my eyes, but the shy smile lingered on his face. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“What?”

“Kiss you, I mean.”

My heart nearly plummeted from excitement. I could die right now and my life would be well lived. Did he always harbor feelings for me as I did for him? The questions were endless, but it all faded when he took my hand again. 

“This was not how I imagined telling you, but after seeing you with my brother, I could hardly contain my anger. Especially when he forced that kiss on you. I shouldn’t have sent you to go back to him.”

He was jealous! My heart leaped with joy, confession after confession. I squeezed his fingers between my own.

“I don’t think he intends to hurt me,” I said, recalling an incident. “The other night, Jongdae brought me to his torture room to kill me, but Baekhyun came in time to rescue me.”

“The torture room?” Minseok’s eyes widened, then dropped to my shoulder. He must have discovered the reason for the bandage.

“Yes, but I’m fine,” I said, realizing once again that my wellbeing was courtesy of the crown prince. And yet I was going to return the favor by killing him once our soulmate link was broken. Something about the idea was quite unsettling.

Minseok huffed his breath beside me, almost like a raging bull that was about to charge. He looked into the far off distance, probably imagining Jongdae’s head on a platter. I hoped he was.

“I won’t let my brother get away for treating you like that,” Minseok said, grabbing my hand. He squeezed me too tight, but after what I had gone through, this barely hurt. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be the one to rescue you.”

I smiled at the confession and returned the squeeze lightly. “I know you would’ve.”

This would’ve been the perfect moment to continue the kiss and ease him into it, but a noise came from the door. Without warning, it flung open as soon as Minseok and I released each other.

There he was. My soulmate, staring me down with bloody red eyes. The charcoal black lines around his eyes made his glare seem more menacing than intended. He turned to his brother, and all hostility disappeared.

“Brother, it seems you have kept my fiancee safe during my absence,” he spoke, a forced edge of friendliness in his voice. The smile on his perfectly sculpted face was just as forged. He approached us with leisurely steps, eyeing the distance between Minseok and I before pulling me up. His cold hands slid around my waist, pulling me close against his entire body. “Thank you.”

I knew what he was doing. He was showing me off as his property. I belonged to the crown prince, and no one else was allowed to touch me. Little did he know, my heart had chosen a different allegiance years before we discovered our soulmate bond.

“It was my pleasure, brother.” Minseok got up on his feet, emitting a gentle smile on his face. “You’ve never been loyal to one woman, so I assumed you did not know how to care for one.”

Baekhyun’s eyes darkened while I tried to hold my laugh. Minseok was openly chiding him, and it was amusing. But when Baekhyun turned to me with a glare, I erased my smile.

“And my brother who has never cared for _any_ woman at all would surely be able to set an example?” Baekhyun mocked back.

I saw something shift in Minseok’s gaze. Something filled with pure hatred and regret. The tension was heated between the brothers as I awkwardly stood in between, pertaining no knowledge regarding the context of their feud.

“I cared about mother,” Minseok retaliated, twitching his lips into a crude frown.

“If you truly cared about her, she wouldn't have died at your hands.” Baekhyun’s fingers tightened around my waist, like an outlet for his pained emotion.

_What?_

I turned to Minseok in search of denial, but all I found was the guilt imprinted on his face. He avoided my gaze, wrinkled his forehead, and stared down at the stony ground.

He never told me about this. What did it mean? Was the Queen’s death not a natural death? Had she been killed? Was Minseok involved?

“Let’s go, love,” Baekhyun’s voice rang beside me, and I was too surprised to put any resistance to his pull. 

Before I knew it, we were back in the banquet hall. The smoke had settled by now, and there were still some debris scattered all over the place. But here and there, vampires used their power to restore the place to its previous state. Considering these were all high ranked and powerful vampires, they immediately finished what humans would accomplish after several months. I was amazed, but also envious.

“What did you two talk about?” Baekhyun asked as he gracefully led me by the arms to his room. None of the officials or guards questioned him, all too busy with the restoration project. Some looked up at us, but when Baekhyun made the slightest shift in their direction, they jolted and looked away.

“Why should I tell you?” I snapped back. Did he really think he’d easily obtain a proper reply from me? But somehow, he must’ve expected my retaliation, cause he grinned.

“Because others might gossip if they see the crown prince’s fiancee with his brother,” Baekhyun answered playfully.

“But seeing the crown prince with his brother’s fiancee is alright?”

“That’s where you got it wrong, sweetheart,” Baekhyun spoke, leaning closer to me as he whispered. “People _didn’t_ see me with Jihye.”

Once we entered his room, he immediately twirled me toward him and pushed me against the wall, trapping me between his arms. After my kiss with Minseok, it was morally wrong of me to be excited at this current situation. I didn’t know whether my body was extremely receptive of him, whether the soulmate bond created this physical pull between us, or whether I was just attracted to him. No, not the latter.

“Will you tell me or do I have to make you?” He asked in a dangerously low whisper, his lips softly brushing over mine with the promise of a kiss I won’t receive.

I hitched my breath, knowing exactly how effectively he could torture me. Perhaps I was bound under his spell, but I feared his torture more than I expected. So I quickly thought of an answer truthful enough without it being the complete truth.

“He asked me why we were engaged.”

The playfulness in Baekhyun’s gaze disappeared and he pulled himself away, much to my demise. He pursed his lips, weighing my words. There was something about Minseok’s involvement that he suspected. And now, I only grew more curious about the late Queen’s death. If it truly was because of Minseok, I’ll vow my allegiance to him again. I’ve always hated that vampire woman. Anyone who killed her is my ally.

“I don’t want you anywhere near him,” Baekhyun interrupted my thoughts with a statement so ludicrous I immediately burst out into laughter.

“What is this? Are you _jealous_?” I taunted him, but he was not flustered. He remained as serious as before, though he did let a small smirk slip.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand, sweetheart. All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t easily trust a vampire.”

“ _You’re_ a vampire.”

“And yet, you have unconsciously placed enough trust in me to warn me about the poison. Last time I remembered, you were willing to kill me even if it meant you’ll die along.”

I gulped. He was right. I protected him. But why? It was the exact opposite of my original task.

“Poor human, always so reluctant to admit what lies in their heart,” Baekhyun chimed with a singsong voice, regarding me as if he had the answer to my question.

“As if you know what’s in my heart.”

Baekhyun’s lips dipped into a smug grin. He folded his arms, waiting for me to make the connection myself. That bastard must be foolish enough to think he was the person in my heart.

“I was just returning the favor! You saved my life once, so I saved yours. I may be a killer, but I have my morals,” I spat, the delivery sounding an awful lot like an excuse because I stuttered. Darn, he’d be cocky enough to think I actually cared about him.

“And I am grateful,” he said, surprising me with those humble words. I was caught off guard when he paced himself before me again, his alluring scent invading my senses. His hand cupped my face, a thumb caressing my cheek.

“But as the crown prince, I have many enemies trying to kill me for the same reason as you are. As my fiancee, you have now become a target as well.” He smiled while delivering the death threat, knowing it wouldn’t scare me away. In fact, it looked like he was curious and eager to see my next move. “So brace yourself, sweetheart.”

With that, he pecked my lips, and left me alone in his room, exposed to numerous questions and mysteries I found no answers to.


	13. Research

I pondered what would become of my life now that every eye would be watching me. It would be harder to meet up with Minseok, nor could I do any research. Besides, a greater question hung loosely in my mind as I stared at the large king sized bed at the back of the room, wondering where I would sleep.

“Once we’re married, we’d have to sleep together anyway. There is no need to be modest,” Baekhyun had taunted that night when he read my concern, tapping the empty space beside him in bed. His smirk was filled with so much malice, I knew nothing good would come out from obeying him. We weren’t even going to get married for real, something he was aware of. Yet, he made this offer to see how low I would succumb in search of comfort. I may have my pride, but I was not stupid.

“I am hardly modest. I’m afraid I’d attack you in your sleep,” I retorted, daringly climbing in bed with him.

“Please elaborate what kind of _attack_ you are referring to?” Baekhyun’s voice turned sultry, turning his body towards me.

The blanked covered up to his torso, but I noticed that Baekhyun loved to wear a low cut Henley shirt to bed, exposing his sharp collarbones, his glazing chest, and a tiny peek of his abs. God, the feral side of me wanted to take my dagger and rip the shirt all the way.

“The deadly one,” I said, shifting myself to the other side, facing him with my backside. The more visual I had of him, the more my inappropriate hormones thirsted for him. Therefore, I had to keep him out of my vision.

“We both know that is no longer true,” he chimed, and I felt the bed shift with his weight as he turned to the other side.

I clamped my fists, exhaling to myself. All day long, I reminisced about my actions, wondering why I had chosen to save him. It was the perfect opportunity to let him die, even if it meant I’d die along. Then again, perhaps I wasn’t fond of the idea because I had found another alternative to taking the throne. I would spare him the same way he had spared me.

My hands went to my shoulder, feeling the bandage still intact, stronger and more durable than anything I had received during my training.

“Why did you lie about your power?” I blurted.

“What?” He asked, his tone lazy and slurred.

“You said that the things you conjure wouldn’t last for more than an hour. But the bandage is still here.”

At once, Baekhyun sat upright, threw the blanket away from me, and ushered me to sit. Then he unbuttoned the front of my nightdress without warning or permission, bellowing a loud protest from me.

“It’s not like I haven’t seen anything before,” he mumbled, without the usual suggestiveness in his voice. His eyes were focused on my bandage as I was half exposed in only my bra. The wrinkled lines between his brows made an appearance.

“This can’t be possible,” he spoke, meeting my eyes with numerous question marks. “This has never happened before. It never lasted for more than two hours.”

Baekhyun was known as many things, but pretentious was not one of them. His transparency was what triggered many to despise him. For that reason, I believed he wasn’t lying about his power’s limitation. Somehow, the limit had either expanded or disappeared altogether.

“How is it possible?” I asked.

Baekhyun answered with a low grunt, running his long fingers over his lush ebony hair, every strand beautifully falling in place. I watched the move, licking my lips. How he made the simple move look so ethereal and beautiful, I’d never understand. It was too mesmerizing to look away from.

“I shall have to inquire the seer,” Baekhyun said, his eyes returning to my revealed chest. Unlike before, his eyes widened with newfound interest, and he grinned lethal as it was playful. “You better cover that up before I attack you, and I don't mean the deadly kind.”

My hands spontaneously pulled the unbuttoned flaps over myself, but only after he had gone back to sleep did I realize, I wouldn’t mind his attack.

***

The next day, as Baekhyun was off doing his royal duties, I needed to do some research of my own. I needed to find out about the late queen’s death, Minseok’s involvement with it, try to find a way to make Baekhyun despicable in the public eye, and also figure out what happened to his power. 

The only place I could think of was the library. It had been ages since Minseok went over the palace’s entire blueprint, and I vaguely recalled the path to my destination. I wandered off on my own, receiving numerous glares from the servant girls. Sadly, they now thought of me as a traitor since I sided with the vampires.

_Patience, my friends. I’m doing this for the greater good of us._

The heroic thought made me scoff with arrogance, picturing a different future from the one currently written out for me. I was basked in too much delight that I missed the door opening and ended up bumping against a pair of hard chests.

“Well, well, if it isn’t my favorite human?”

I hadn’t known the youngest prince for long, but his malicious intonation bore the power to induce fear within me. Of course, I made sure to display my confident front and sidestepped him.

“Since you’ll be my sister in law, it is only proper for us to get acquainted,” Jongdae said, trailing me like a vicious lion about to hone on its prey.

I kept my silence, hoping he’d leave me alone as soon as possible. His ragged breathing triggered memories from his torturous scheme, and my body instantly remembered the wounds. I couldn’t help but wish that Baekhyun was by my side. He’d be able to keep this leech away.

“I suppose a human has not been taught proper manners. Will you speak or will I have to rip your mouth open?” Jongdae spoke giddily, excited by the idea. His red eyes strayed to my lips, probably imagining plunging a knife along it.

“Leave me alone,” I mumbled, about to quicken my pace when I felt those rough, cold hands rest on my elbow. I flinched in a way no assassin ought to, realizing Jongdae had scarred me in more ways than just physical.

“Ah,” he sneered, tightening his grip. “You’re afraid of me.”

“On the contrary, I’m afraid I might kill you if you bother me any longer,” I bluffed, keeping the tremor in my voice to a minimum.

“That’s an excellent idea. I give you the permission to kill me if you give me permission to kill you. Imagine the bloodbath of our attempts. It’d be beautiful,” Jongdae spoke deliriously, painting his perverse utopia.

I made a face of utmost disgust and continued my pace.

“Does my brother truly love you?” Jongdae suddenly asked. Finally, a normal question that didn’t sound psycho.

“Yes, and I love him,” I spoke, the empty words slurring too easily from my lips. I was surprised it did not make me want to gag. Apparently, I was that much of a good pretender.

Jongdae’s feral grin made a return. “Love is ephemeral. Once he’s bored of you, he might just give you to me or our elder brother. I’ve never slept with a human before, but if you can please my brother, you must be quite decent.”

I realized that everything he spat from his mouth had the ability to make me sick to the core. There were many things to gag about, but all I focused on was one thing. “Is that how you made Jihye your fiancee?”

“No, Jihye willingly chose to be with me. But Baekhyun and I share our other girls.”

I winced. “You’re sick.”

“Why, thank you.”

I shook my head, steering myself away from our conversation. But to my demise, Jongdae was insistent on following me.

“Hey, when you have free time, I’d like us to continue where we left off in my room,” Jongdae spoke, adjusting his pace to my steps.

Great, he said this out loud while servant girls looked up, giving me scandalous looks. The gossip would soon spread like wildfire.

“You better watch your words, Jongdae,” another voice entered the scene, and I internally rejoiced at the appearance of my savior. I was too busy thinking about Baekhyun’s heroic rescue that I had forgotten all about Minseok, my true hero.

“Brother, what are you doing here?” Jongdae asked a stupid question. But for once, I detected fear on his maniac face. He trailed his eyes away from Minseok, fiddling his fingers that was too out of character for this psycho.

“I heard a commotion,” Minseok said. “Yeonji, is my brother bothering you?”

I glanced at Jongdae, seeing the unusual plea outlined in his face. For someone who loved to inflict pain on others, I thought I’d return the favor. “Yes. He tortured me,” I openly revealed, knowing Minseok would remember my story during our alone time.

“Ah, we can’t have anyone hurting the crown prince’s fiancee’s now, can we? You shall punished, brother.”

The fear in Jongdae’s face was akin to someone witnessing death approach. Every single muscle stiffened, his eyes gouged wider, and he stood still like a log. He did not scream or beg for forgiveness, instead shifting his mouth to an awkward shape, teeth clamped together. It was as if an invisible rope was tied around his body, unabling him from moving. Then, he fell down on the floor, and began to breathe heavily.

“Do not let me see you lay a finger on her again,” Minseok warned, then ushered me to follow him.

I was too amazed to utter a single word. In my twenty years of knowing Minseok, I had only seen him use his power to control movement by making people move, but this was the opposite. Of course he could _stop_ their movement as well.

“You may stop staring at me,” Minseok said, and I could see him blush a little by my unwavering gaze.

“I’m simply admiring the face of my hero. What you did was incredible!” I cheered. It were moments like these when I wished I had a special power of my own, but all I had was my human agility, strength, and intelligence.

“I told you I’d protect you,” he added. “What were you doing wandering in the hallways on your own anyway? It’s dangerous.”

“Trying to find the library,” I answered, offering him a sheepish smile. To my delight, he returned it, ten times as bright.

“You’re in luck. I’m headed there was well.”

I bit my lip to stifle my elation. Was this fate, or was he making an excuse to stay with me a little longer? I continued to entertain my delusions, feeling his hands occasionally brush against mine as we walked side by side. At times, I could feel him deliberating the move, wanting to hold my hand, but knowing we were limited by the public setting.

“What are you hoping to find in the library?” Minseok asked.

“Probably the same reason why you’re there,” again, I chose to disclose partial information. “I need to know how to break the soulmate curse.”

Minseok laughed. “Most people wouldn’t consider it a curse.”

“Try being bound to the arrogant, playboy, crown prince,” I chided, making Minseok laugh even more.

“I grew up with him, does that count?”

“I suppose.”

We both laughed in our shared annoyance towards Baekhyun. Hatred does unite people together. The only good thing Baekhyun had done, aside from saving me, was to suggest this fake engagement. I never imagined being able to explore the hallways of the palace with such ease without arising any suspicion. On top of that, I actually had more chances to be with Minseok.

“We’re here,” he spoke, taking my hand as he pushed the door the library open, and I gasped.

It was the largest collection of books I had ever seen in my life. The walls extended to the ceiling that was at least two storeys tall. There was a glass stained window placed at the very top, providing natural lighting through its bright yellow glass. There were several vampires present, but none bothered to look up at us.

He immediately led me to the section where he retrieved several books. As I held my hands out to carry them, he opted to levitate them in the air instead, adding more floating books with a flick of his finger. 

“You’re a woman. You’re not supposed to carry heavy things,” he explained, and I laughed at the irony.

“But learning how to plunge a knife in my target’s skull is perfectly fine?” I asked, referring to our training sessions and the brutal things he had personally taught me.

His eyes widened in panic, quickly looking around him to ensure no one was listening along. “I’m trying to be a gentleman,” he then said.

“You’ve always been the most gentle man I know,” I said, offering a smile. Then I followed him as he led us to a more secluded table in the middle of the room. 

“The books don’t directly state a way to break the curse, but it may mention some flaws in the Fate’s system, or ways to overpower them. Those are the information I’ve been collecting so far,” he explained.

I nodded, taking the first book from the tall pile and skillfully skimmed through it. It was filled with weird scribbles and symbols that wasn’t part of the human alphabet. At first I thought they were random, but these signs were familiar, though I couldn’t exactly pinpoint where I had seen them before. I continued flipping until I noticed something strange.

“A page is missing.”

Minseok looked over, furrowing his brows at the incident. “Was it like this when you found it?”

“Yes.”

“That is strange,” he said, taking the book away from me. “Perhaps you should read a different book instead.”

“What language was that?” I asked, cocking my head toward the book he returned to his pile. The symbols looked like the doodles I used to draw when I was little.

“The ancient fae language. The faes may not exist anymore, but every magical being had universally adapted their language,” Minseok explained.

Strange. Minseok had taught me everything there was to know about the royal family and its kind, except for this part.

“Why didn’t you tell me before? I’d love to learn the fae language too.”

“It’s not essential to your mission,” Minseok said, closing the book with a loud thud. He then offered me a different book, in the human language this time.

From time to time, I glanced up to study him. I sensed the rigidness in his commanding voice just now. The only time Minseok used this tone was if he wanted to protect me or divert me. But what was written in the fae language that I needed to be protected from? I was certain he knew more than he let on.

But my attention halted when I heard footsteps closing in on us, not the leisurely ones meant to browse around for some books, but the deliberate one with a mission to carry out. I couldn’t be more cautious and hovered my hand close to the dagger sheathed around my waist, disguised beneath a big red ribbon. 

But such precaution were not necessary since the intruder immediately made herself known. She took the seat opposite of me, staring at me with magical red eyes that had the ability to see into the future. It was the seer, Mira.

“Choi Yeonji, I meant to find you,” Mira greeted. Vampires usually got straight to the point without making any small talk in between.

“So I see.”

Mira hesitantly threw a glance at Minseok. “I am afraid this information is confidential,” she spoke, the confidence in her voice wilting before a royal prince. She was in no position to command him but neither could she disobey Baekhyun. “It’s about your bond.”

“What concerns me, the eldest prince shall be privy of,” I said, swatting my hands to calm down the tension. Based on our previous encounter, I harbored no ill feelings towards the vampire seer.

The realization that Minseok was aware of the soulmate bond sunk in Mira’s eyes, squinting at us suspiciously. On any normal circumstances, I would’ve hidden the fact Minseok and I were acquainted. But there was nothing I could hide from a being who saw into the future. If she foresaw our affair, I hoped she wouldn’t be the type to blurt things out to Baekhyun.

“I have spoken to the crown prince regarding your latest incident,” Mira spoke, choosing to keep the words as vague as possible in front of one whom it did not concern. 

“And? Have you found the cause for his increased power?”

Minseok eyed me, his turn so swift that it surprised me.

Mira gave the prince another glance before sighing, giving up on attaining some privacy. “It is the first time I have heard of such an issue. My theory is that your soulmate bond has somehow powered his strength beyond its usual limit.”

“How?”

“The fact that you are a human may play a big factor. Throughout history, mated vampires never experienced an increase in their power, but a human and vampire pairing may have a different effect.”

“So… I have made Baekhyun more powerful?”

“Yes. And at this rate, it seems it will only continue to grow. I may not fully understand why as of now, but our crown prince will soon become the most powerful vampire alive.”

I exchanged a look with Minseok, both knowing this meant trouble.


	14. Weakness

This was very troubling, to say the least. I couldn’t kill Baekhyun without killing myself, but my mere existence had the ability to turn him into the most powerful vampire throughout history. It was quite flattering to know I had been granted such an important role in the crown prince’s life, but it meant naught if I couldn’t dethrone him. 

“Does Baekhyun know about this?” I asked.

“Yes.”

I huffed my breath and stared down at the book in front of me, unable to comprehend the text. I thought about what this meant to Baekhyun and me, wondering how it could affect our relationship. We already established the fact that he would do everything in his might to keep me alive, even turning me into his fake fiancee to keep me under tight surveillance. But being the reason for his edified strength, he might as well handcuff me to his wrist to ensure I would do anything… life threatening.

“Choi Yeonji,” Mira halted my train of thoughts. She glanced a nervous look towards Minseok who had intently been listening along, silently absorbing all of these newfound information. “You must realize that your link to the crown prince is not something to publicize in front of others.”

“Why?” Not that I had any plans of doing it, but I was curious as to why she spoke in such a low whisper.

“Because you are human, and therefore extremely vulnerable,” Mira bluntly spoke. 

I squinted my eyes at her. If I did not like her enough, I would have strodded over the table and jumped at her with my dagger pressed against her throat. How’s that for vulnerable? But of course, I let the sadistic imagery play off in my head, and maintained a sweet and pretentious smile.

“Isn’t that common knowledge?” I asked instead, nauseated at my own sweet voice that degraded my kind. I knew we were inferior to the vampires, but there was no need to rub it in my face. Stupid vampires with stupid powers. Without their powers, they’d be below me.

“Yes, but once the truth about your bond is known, do you think the people who want the crown prince dead would target a powerful vampire or the vulnerable human?” Mira said with a monotone, almost deprived of any emotion. But I noticed the slight frown forming between her brows and supposed it was her way of showing concern.

“Hah!” I bellowed, kicking back in my chair as I tilted my chin up. “I am not as vulnerable as you think I am. I can take on whoever comes at me.”

Minseok shot me a warning look, unable to relay a reply of opposition because the seer was in our presence. He couldn’t show how much he cared for my well being, not in public.

“I am merely sending you a warning. We do not want something bad to happen to the sole heir of the throne.”

“Sole heir?” I couldn’t help but ask, almost wanting to scoff. “Don’t you think Minseo- I mean, _Prince_ Minseok is a much better choice?”

Mira flinched, shooting another nervous glance at Minseok. “My opinions are naught, Choi Yeonji. But the King has chosen the crown prince, and it is therefore my duty to use my powers to see his coronation come to pass.”

I pursed my lips, watching as Mira gracefully pushed her chair back, somehow making the simple everyday move look regal as if she knew the right angles to present herself in the most favorable way. She sent one last look towards Minseok, and as I studied her, I realized her eyes weren’t on him, but on the pile of books in front of him.

“It’d be better not to touch those books, Your Highness. Some books are forbidden for a reason.” She bowed once and left the library.

The top most book was the one he had taken away from me, the one with the fae language and the torn page. Did it really contain forbidden information? If so, I needed a way to learn this new language.

There were so many mysteries, and I needed to unravel them one by one. This book seemed to be the key for it, but I couldn’t possibly take it while Minseok was guarding it. I doubt he’d be willing to lend it to me even if I nicely asked for it.

“She may be a seer, but not everything she says is true,” Minseok suddenly warned me, taking my hand in his, holding it below the table to avoid people’s gazes. “Her prophecies need to be tested first.”

“So there’s a flaw to her power?” I asked.

Minseok laughed. “There’s always a flaw to every power.”

***

In the end, I decided to return to Baekhyun’s room— _our_ room, I suppose—and was surprised to see Jihye waiting in front. I wondered how long she had been there, standing like a beautiful porcelain doll. Though I despised her judgmental glares that were ready to claw at me, I had to admit she was nearly as beautiful as the late Queen. Her long dress hugged her body at all the right parts, outlining her small waist, voluminous hips, busty fronts, and an hourglass shaped body. No wonder Baekhyun went nuts for her.

As Jihye turned and registered my approach, the soft doll-like features hardened into something more feral. Somehow, I had a feeling she wasn’t here to see Baekhyun.

“May I help you?” I asked, maintaining an authoritative voice. If my fake engagement with Baekhyun irked her, I would use it as a weapon. Might even utter some vomit worthy stuff to plunge the final knife in her heart, figuratively of course.

“Aren’t you going to invite me inside?” Jihye asked, a clear hostility in her tone as she shifted her gaze to the door.

“Ah, I would, but the room’s still a bit messy from our wild night together,” I decided to test the water, and seeing how her face turned pale with horror, I knew I hit on a sensitive subject. Perfect. “We needed a way to celebrate our public announcement, and we all know what my fiance adores. He said no woman ever pleased him the way I do.”

Seeing Jihye’s mental breakdown pulverizing her facial features was a small victory to me. When had I become so petty with my attacks? I used to hurt people physically, but this psychological battle was quite entertaining.

“Have you used some sort of dark magic on him? There is no way Baekhyun would ever be interested in a human girl. To us vampires, your kind are a servant. A slave!” She spoke, her entire arms and body trembling. The design of her wide sleeves made her look like a baby duckling trying to flap its wings to fly. 

“And yet, he chose me over you,” I said, almost smirking.

Jihye balled her fist and I could feel she was about to release her rage into physical assault. Nothing I couldn’t handle though. She was too delicate to withstand close combat.

“You don’t love Baekhyun! You’re just using him. What is it you’re after? Wealth? Fame? Power?”

_His life_ , I wanted to say, but I couldn’t admit that while I was playing the loving fiancee role.

“I _do_ love him,” I declared, the words abstained from any conviction, but judging on the falter of her composed expression, it must’ve been pretty convincing. I did bat my eyelashes, perfecting my ‘girl in love’ look.

“But he can’t possibly love _you_! You’re just one of his many toys. You’re trash! You’re a human slave! He’ll grow bored of you!”

I was growing agitated, and gritted my teeth as I tried to keep my cool. I shifted my annoyance into a lopsided grin instead. “I may be trash, but it doesn’t change the fact that once I marry Baekhyun and become queen, _you’ll_ be my slave.”

Jihye continued to tremble like a bomb waiting to detonate. She mumbled something incoherently and raised her arm in the air using a speed no faster than a weightless paper being thrown to the floor. I encountered more threats during my training days, and this almost made me yawn. I wondered whether I should put up some damsel in distress drama or break her arm and crack her bones. But before I managed to make up my mind, someone else had appeared, holding Jihye tightly by her elbow, halting her movement.

Ah, would you look at that. My soulmate came to my rescue.

“I would appreciate if you did not hurt my fiancee’s pretty face,” Baekhyun spoke, releasing Jihye’s arm from his grip. He then turned to me, cupping my face in his cold hands as he brought his face closer to mine. His touch felt unusually colder than usual. “Are you hurt, love?”

I frowned, wondering why he was showing pseudo concern for me when he perfectly knew what I was capable of. But then I noticed that playful smirk on his lush lips.

“Wouldn’t want you to be unable to live up to last night’s wild performance. You are the only woman who can please me, after all.”

My eyes widened as I felt a deep flush spread over my entire face. He _heard_. He heard every single thing I said for the sake of taunting Jihye.

“Baekhyun,” Jihye tried again, but he held his hand up.

“I don’t care if you are dissatisfied with my selection of women, but don’t you ever hurt my fiancee again,” Baekhyun warned her, a chill entwined in his tone. It was such a contrast to the crown prince who had made out with Jihye just a few days ago. I almost felt sorry for her now.

Her glistening eyes were overcome with overbearing dejection, and it was the last sight I saw before Baekhyun pulled me into the room. I could no longer focus on my sympathy when Baekhyun pushed me back, placing his hands on the wall. By now, I realized he took pleasure in trapping me, and I realized I didn’t mind it either.

“You seem to have quite the fantasy,” he muttered, softer than his usual confidence.

“D-Don’t get so full of yourself. I only wanted to annoy her. I don’t mean any of the things I said.” I threw my face sideways, unable to stare at him. Because the longer I stared at him, the more aware I’d be of our lack of distance. And what followed afterwards would be my hormonal desire for him. 

“Shame, I was hoping at least one part of your statement was true,” he grinned.

I hated how he made me feel warm all over using mere words. He hadn’t even touched me and my head was thinking of ten different ways to kiss him. No, I had to control my thoughts and change the conversation.

“I-I met Mira today.”

He cocked his head sideways, calmer and slower than usual. He retracted his arms, folding them over the other. A part of me felt the slight disappointment when he leaned away altogether. 

“She said our bond might be the cause for your increased power.”

He nodded, searching my face for what I was hinting at.

“That means you’ll need me more than ever before,” I said, feeling the sudden confidence as I strode closer, tilting my face toward him. “Step down from the throne or I’ll hurt myself.”

The threat was supposed to sound confident and lethal, but Baekhyun laughed instead. Not the usual scoff, but a wholehearted laugh that almost sounded boyish, and vibrant, and pleasant. It was free of any malice or arrogance, and I wished to keep this tune bottled forever.

“Oh, sweetheart, you’re getting worse at negotiating,” Baekhyun said, lowering his face so that his lips were only inches away from me. “You seem to have forgotten that with or without our bond, I was already powerful to begin with. You’re just an added bonus.”

“What? You jer—”

“However,” his fingers lightly pinched the bottom of my chin, softly angling it toward him. “It is true that I need you now more than ever before. Remember the explosions during our engagement announcement?”

“How could I forget?” I asked dryly, making him grin the slightest.

“During the meeting, many people confessed their opposition towards a human queen, so we may have brooded a larger army against us,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. That was quite obvious considering how miserable humans were treated in this society. More opposition meant higher possibility of dethronement. Everything worked in my favor. “And that concerns me, because?”

“Because you’ve officially become a target.”

I probably should be trembling in fear, but the thought of this challenge was quite exciting. I never took on an entire army of power wielding vampires. I wondered how much I could take out if I went full ballistic on them. Was I permitted to kill them?

“You’re smiling,” Baekhyun observed. “Aren’t you scared?”

“Should I be? I can defend myself, and I know you’ll protect me too, right?” 

I realized my words accidentally revealed how much I unconsciously trusted him. He registered with a gape and a backward jolt, then settled into a hooded gaze that looked at me with longing.

“I‘ll always protect you,” he said, lightly brushing my hair, a move too affectionate for the usual libido we shared. And as I stared up at him, I saw a faint curve on his lips, too soft and vulnerable for the bastard I was supposed to hate.

The words “I don’t need your protection” wanted to escape my lips, but it didn’t. Because in the end, the part of me that grew up as a lonely orphan and was trained to become an assassin, wondered what it felt like to be taken care of. 

Minseok took care of me, but I doubt he’d give up his life for me. Because of the soulmate bond, I genuinely believed Baekhyun wouldn’t hesitate to lay himself down for me. Even if he’d protect me for selfish reasons, it was enough to fill up the slightest bit of my void in my heart.

“If you continue to stare at me like that, I can’t promise I’ll be able to protect you from me,” he added lazily, and I gulped. Considering what I had with Minseok, this was the part I should be most terrified of. My body always betrayed me, and as always, it wouldn't refuse my soulmate.

“Maybe I don’t want you to,” the words appeared before I could stop myself, causing a lazy grin to appear on his lips.

God, I hated to admit over and over again how painstakingly beautiful he was. It was as if the Fates had decided to give features of utmost perfection to a single person. Baekhyun was like a dark angel without his wings, a chaos waiting to happen. His red eyes took me in, dipping lower to my lips. But no, they weren’t as bloodred as usual. They seemed to have lost their shine, growing into a dull color of dark maroon.

“Your eyes,” I said, subconsciously placing my hand against his cheeks, rubbing my thumb over his under eye. His skin was cold under my warm hands, and he jolted before easing in to this contrasting feeling, two pillars of opposites that mingled into a lukewarm sensation over time.

“What about them?” He whispered.

“They’re not as red as usual.”

“I didn’t know you paid this much attention to me, sweetheart,” he said, placing his hand over mine. “It happens to vampires when they’re tired and overworked.”

“Are you tired and overworked?”

My question caught him offguard, cause he looked at me as if I had said a bunch of foreign words he couldn’t comprehend.

“Are you worried about me?” He asked, stretching his lips to a slow and weak smile. Only then did I notice that his movements and responses were rather calm today.

“I-I was just wondering whether your exhaustion would affect me,” I quickly made up an excuse. Baekhyun looked weaker without his playful remarks. If someone were to attack him in this vulnerable state, we’d both be dead. Therefore, it was perfectly normal for me to be worried, right?

“Don’t worry,” Baekhyun barely smiled. “Many people opposed and wanted to kill you, so I defended you.”

My heart let down its defenses, unwillingly melting at his words. I knew it was probably an act of pure selfishness, but it seemed he overexerted himself beyond his usual limit.

“What did you do?” I asked, seeing Baekhyun wobble a bit toward me. He looked drunk. He looked like the living dead. And I was ready to catch him if his legs buckled to the floor.

“I hurt them,” he said, clenching and unclenching his fingers before me, worn out from using too much of his power. “I hurt them before they could hurt you.”

I was starting to think Baekhyun wasn’t even fully aware of his own speech, revealing things he probably didn’t want me to know of. But I’ve never seen a vampire in their weak state. Was Baekhyun sick?

“Is there… Is there anything you’d like me to do?” I carefully asked, wanting to see how fragile and unaware Baekhyun was at the moment. Normally he’d speak his usual condescending and perverted remarks, but this time, he stared at me with that same look of disbelief and wonder.

“Stay,” he whispered. And before I had time to react to that, he lowered his head and let it fall against my shoulder. His cold arms snaked around my waist, desperate to have an anchor to hold on to. “Stay with me.”

I felt his weight on me, and my hands hesitantly moved to him, pausing once before I decided it’d be alright to touch him. I wrapped my arms around his back, feeling his cold seep through the fabric of his outfit.

I’ve always hated Baekhyun, but maybe I had been wrong all along. Aside from his debauched lifestyle, he hadn’t hurt people for the sake of hurting them, choosing only to protect himself. But today, he wore himself out to protect me.

At that moment I knew, I could no longer kill my soulmate.


	15. Offer

I had no idea what to do with a sick vampire. A part of me wanted to call for help, but I realized there was no one in this castle I trusted enough to be alone with a vulnerable Baekhyun. Knowing Minseok’s resentment towards his brother, I reckon he’d use this opportunity to harm Baekhyun, too focused by his wrath to remember he’d also be harming me.

If a human was sick, it was common knowledge to take a towel dipped in cold water to reduce the heat from our body. But as I pressed my hand against Baekhyun’s forehead, he was freezing. Could vampires show the opposite symptoms than us humans? Whereas we grew hotter, they started to freeze up?

Clearly, I shouldn’t have worried too much about Baekhyun being an overpowerful vampire. He wasn’t immune to sickness and was defeated within seconds.

As Baekhyhun continued to breath through his slightly parted lips, I could see a huff of smoke appearing, like the cold winter season. I made sure to close all windows and place multiple blankets on him, but he was still shivering.

Should I have called for help after all? If there was one vampire I could trust, I supposed Mira was a neutral party. But could I leave Baekhyun alone while I searched for the seer? It surprised me how reluctant I was to leave his side. 

When I prodded away from the bed, he must’ve felt the change of weight. Despite his weakened state, he managed to search for my hand, holding on loosely.

_“Stay with me.”_

I couldn’t deny that request and looked at our hands, feeling his cold temperature trying to overtake the human warmth in me. But no matter what, it couldn’t overpower me. Humans may be weaker, but we were designed to emit heat.

That was it.

Letting go of his hand, I realized there was one way to save him. This sickness could deteriorate his health, and may bear consequences for me. So it was only right for me to do anything I could to help him, right? Even if it meant I had to forgo my pride and expose myself?

I hitched my breath, fighting my own dilemma as I began to unbutton my dress. I removed my arms from its sleeves, letting the gown fall to the floor as I stepped out in nothing but my undergarments. If Baekhyun wasn’t this fragile, he would have teased or lusted after me. But those were the least of my concerns. The sooner we could resume our usual banter, the better.

So I lowered the blanket from Baekhyun, keeping my racy thoughts in line as I undressed him. He was still panting heavily. It was too easy to hurt him, and I wondered whether he realized how much control I had over this situation. But hurting him was the least of my priority when I knew he had overused his powers for my sake.

As his naked upper body was fully exposed, I released the breath I’d been holding. He truly was sculpted like a god, having ripples after ripples to outline his toned abs. Judging on his rather small physique for a male vampire, one would not expect such a beast to brood underneath it. I felt my breath quicken at the observation, and reminded myself what was at stake.

I carefully climbed into bed, moving closer to press my body against his—warm soft flesh against cold chiseled ones. I gasped, surprised at his icy coldness overtaking my entire system, like I was bathed in a tub of ice cubes. My toes curled. My body shivered. I don’t think my heat could withstand his temperature.

Like a moth drawn to light, Baekhyun was immediately drawn to my warmth. He turned around so that we’d be face to face, his lips only a few fingers away. As he wrapped his arms around me, wanting and needing me, I saw a soft smile spread over his face, akin to a child.

The sight was quite endearing, and in his unconscious state, I dared my hands to roam over his face, stroking his cheek and brushing his hair aside. He looked harmless. Had we met under different circumstances, maybe I wouldn’t have hated him.

Eventually, my hand stopped caressing him and I let it fall over his body, closing my eyes. Clothed in his chilling temperature, I hoped my warmth would be enough to recover him.

***

The next time I opened my eyes, it was already morning. I tried to move, but realized Baekhyun and I were still entangled in each other’s hold. That was when I noticed a pair of bloodred eyes staring back at me, wrinkled with lively mischief.

“Morning, sweetheart,” he called, exerting some force to pull me even closer. “Finding you semi naked in my arms is a nice sight to wake up to.”

“I take it that you’re feeling better then,” I said, pulling a hand free to measure the temperature of his forehead. He was still cold, but not as chilling as last night. It was his normal vampire temperature. I couldn’t stop a smile from spreading over my face, washed with relief. 

Baekhyun stared at me weirdly, a pool of wrinkles forming between his eyebrows. “I did not expect you to care this much about me.”

“I-I don’t! But I didn’t know what your sickness could lead to. I didn’t want us to die,” I stuttered, feeling my cheeks redden as he continued to regard me curiously.

He laughed. “I wasn’t sick, I was exhausted. Vampires don’t die from exhaustion.”

“That’s not common knowledge to us humans. You were trembling uncontrollably so I—”

“Took advantage of my vulnerability?” He grinned.

“What? I didn’t have a choice. It was the only way I could think of to warm you up and—”

My protesting halted when Baekhyun suddenly leaned closer, planting a chaste kiss against my forehead. He may have stopped my movement, but ignited my heart to beat in irregular, frantic rhythms.

“For someone who initially wanted to kill me, you’re doing a pretty awful job,” he stated, and the gentleness woven in his voice made me wonder whether he was still feeling dazed. “I guess you must really like me.”

There was the cocky remark I was waiting for. His kindness caught me offguard, but I was always prepared to retaliate his arrogance.

“Or I wanted you to be indebted to me,” I said, smirking as I placed my hand around his neck, subconsciously caressing his skin with my thumb. 

“I guess I owe you that,” he said, peering at me with utmost anticipation. “What do you want?”

I wriggled free from his touch and sat right up. He followed, and as the blanket slid off our bodies, I became aware of our semi nude situation. Out of embarrassment, I picked up the blanket to cover myself up to my neck.

“There’s no need for modesty. I’ve seen it already, and you’re beautiful,” Baekhyun said casually, emitting a truthful compliment that disrupted the peaceful pace of my heart. He had to stop doing this.

“A-Anyway,” I cleared my throat, and looked for my clothes on the floor. Once I spotted it, I moved away from the bed and began to dress. “My mission has changed. I need to keep you alive in order for me to live.”

“Oh? What inspired this sudden change? I thought you were ready to die for me,” Baekhyun smirked, watching as I nearly lost my balance when trying to step into my gown. “Ah, have you taken a fancy to my eldest brother? Are you hoping you’d become his mistress if you continue to live?”

I frowned, wondering how he knew about my affection. He only caught me once with Minseok, but were my feelings that easy to decipher?

“What if I were?” I daringly asked him.

“Then I’d forbid you,” he grinned.

“I didn’t think you were possessive.”

“I’m not.” He got off the bed, taking the shirt I had folded on the nightdesk and draped himself in it. “We may be soulmates, but our bond does not come with feelings. You are free to love whoever you want, except for Minseok.”

“Why?”

“Because you saved me, and I’m doing the same for you.”

His words were filled with so much mystery. Did this have anything to do with the late queen’s death? Was Minseok really involved? Was he hiding something from me? 

I shook the thoughts off, forcing my mind to remember the sweet memories we had. Minseok was the one who found me and offered to train me into a great assassin. He was my past, and even now, I wanted him to be my future.

“Which brings me to what I originally wanted to talk about.” I tucked my hair out of my collar and smoothed the gown at the same time he finished his last button. We stood opposite each other, face to face, and I extended a hand. “We need to work together.”

Baekhyun lifted an eyebrow at my gesture, but the curve in his lips indicated his amusement. “How so?”

“We need to protect each other. Your enemies are my enemies now,” I said, nudging my hand towards him.

He accepted my hand, but instead of shaking it, he pulled me to fall against his chest. “You’ll protect the both of us by staying idle and out of everyone’s sight.”

“No, I’ll protect us by means of intimidation. If your enemies saw what I was capable of—”

“They’d still kill you,” he interrupted. I felt his fingers slide to my cheek, prompting me to look at him as he softened his voice. “You are exceptional for a human being and have impressed me from time to time again with your skills. But even the most powerful human will lose against the weakest vampire.”

I clenched my teeth, feeling his words lifting my heart before letting it fall. We couldn’t work together if he refused to believe in my skills. It seemed I’ll have to find the culprit on my own. I’ll figure out who tried to poison my soulmate and cut this person’s balls off.

“Okay, at least grant me another favor,” I stated, intently meeting his curious eyes. “I want to learn fae language.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened with surprise, but unlike Minseok who was immediately against the idea, Baekhyun smiled with fascination. “For whatever reason?”

“If I’m to become queen, won’t I need to know the language of my people?” I asked, unable to tell him the truth. 

“Spoken like a true queen,” Baekhyun said, stroking my arm up and down, sending shivers down my body. “Do you wish my eldest brother would teach you?”

“Better yet,” I said, laying my hands flat against his chest as I looked up to meet his eyes. “I want _you_ to teach me.”

Baekhyun looked taken aback and laughed at my ridiculous request. “I’m not a very good teacher.”

“You’re not a very good fake fiance either, but I’m not complaining,” I shrugged, but judging on that mischievous glint in his eyes, I sensed I said the wrong thing.

“Whyever am I not a good fake fiance?” He breathed seductively, holding me by both shoulders as he leaned to my ear. “Is it because I don’t do this?” He nipped at my ear, sucking the delicate texture that made me suck in some air. “Or this?” He lowered his lips to my neck while his hands trailed lower down my arms. And when I thought he’d plan to seduce me, he surprised me by gently lacing his fingers between mine, a move so sweet it sent a different craving altogether.

“Stop it,” I rasped, using great will power to yank myself away from him. I shook my head and regained focus. “Please, teach me the fae language.”

“What if I refuse?”

I narrowed my eyes, releasing a breath of frustration. “Then my only other option would be to ask Jongdae.”

At that name, Baekhyun’s playfulness completely morphed. The twinkling glint in his eyes turned dark, overtaken by fury. “Don’t you dare.”

“He apologized to me earlier and wanted to start afresh. I guess he isn’t that bad—psychoness aside,” I sang.

Baekhyun grunted and grabbed me by my wrist. He pulled me against his chest again, keeping an arm on my back that was close to crushing my body. I was forced to tilt my head toward him. 

“I’ll do it,” he declared, teeth gritted. “You’re not allowed to come near my brothers.”

His sudden anger depleted me of my words, and I stood open mouthed, imagining a rage of flame surrounding him. Something must’ve happened that severed their relationship. He truly didn’t trust them. Jongdae I could understand, considering he nearly tortured me to death, but Minseok? Why did he hate Minseok this much?

When Baekhyun was this aggravated, it was better not to taunt him any further. Maybe I could distract him with humor? 

“Haha… Y-You sound like a jealous fiance again,” I said lamely.

The flames faded as he turned to me, the pressure from his arm loosening. “Maybe I am,” he confessed.

I frowned, waiting for him to correct himself or add on a lewd commentary, but he seemed to be surprised by his own statement, rubbing his chin with his free hand, squeezing his eyes shut like he was trying to solve a difficult equation. He was actually considering it.

Could it be? Was he actually jealous? He denied it before, but did something change in him?

The possibility made my heart jump, suddenly aware that I was still in his arm. I didn’t know why it made me nervous, but it did, so I quickly pushed myself free and kept a reasonable distance between us.

“So,” I cleared my throat, averting his attention from the riddle he had yet to obtain an answer to. “What caused you to be so exhausted?”

“I told you, the meetings are tiring,” he said, proving his recollection of the things he told me when I thought he was drunk. “Royal vampire meetings aren’t what you expect.”

“How so?”

“Because we get to fight and kill our subjects,” Baekhyun answered. Had it been Jongdae, I imagined him announcing this with murderous glee, but Baekhyun’s mouth sunk into a frown.

“Aren’t they your highest commanders?” I asked.

“Yes, and therefore our greatest threat. If they show a great opposition, we may choose to end their life right then and there. If we show mercy, these people may be the ones to lead a rebellion in the future,” Baekhyun explained, looking at his hands. “My father taught me to always use violence to establish order. It’s the only way to gain people’s respect.”

My mouth fell open. This was nothing like the human world. I saw people trying to corrupt, manipulate, or swindle one another during a time of opposition. A physical brawl hardly broke out, and even then, people were too weak to truly injure their opponents. The vampire world was more sinister than I imagined.

“How many did you kill?” I asked slowly.

Baekhyun stared at me with surprise, probably expecting me to tremble in fear of this sadistic story. Instead, I was very composed, trying to learn as much as I could about this new world I’d get myself involved into.

“Seven,” he said, no hint of pride or enjoyment. He stared down at the floor, frowning in disgust. “My father was present. I had to kill them, or else he’ll hurt me. The heir to the throne shouldn’t be afraid of a bloodbath.”

The more he revealed his struggles, the more I changed my view of him. I never understood the pressure of a parent since I grew up as an orphan, but Baekhyun’s life was shackled in his father’s constant demands and expectations. I always hated him and thought him unfit for the throne, but now, I realized he probably didn’t even want it in the first place.

In that case, why wouldn’t he step down? Baekhyun would be released of his duty, Minseok would rule everyone with justice, and humans wouldn’t have to suffer. Baekhyun’s dethronement was going to help him, right?

“These meetings,” I began, hesitantly reaching out to him. But when he met my eyes, I curled my fingers and retracted it to my side. “Could I attend them too?”

“What?”

“If they’re opposing you because you chose a human as their queen, I can show them why I’m the perfect candidate,” I said confidently.

“They’ll attack you,” Baekhyun said.

“Don’t underestimate me. I came close to killing you that first night we met,” I reminded, striking a defensive pose as if I were holding my knife.

“You were still too slow, though,” Baekhyun grinned at the same memory. “And too distracted by my visuals to act.”

“Lucky for me, the others won’t be as good-looking as my fiance,” I said, watching his grin dip into a soft smile, one that made me weak. So I cleared my throat and offered my hand to him once more. “Like I said, we need to work together.”

Baekhyun considered my offer and reciprocated it with a firm handshake this time. “Choi Yeonji, you fascinate me from time to time. I’m starting to think you’re the only person suitable enough to be my soulmate.”

His compliment was so genuine that I forgot my true purpose for a while. As Baekhyun flashed his brim smile at me, I wholeheartedly wanted his subjects to believe I was the best decision Baekhyun could make.


	16. Intel

For the next few days, I spent my nights learning the fae language with Baekhyun. During the morning, I traveled around the palace trying to resolve some of my lingering questions. I was hoping that my status as a human would earn me favor with my people, but judging on their scrutinizing stares, they still viewed me as a traitor.

“Yeonji!” 

All except for Heejin, the only person who ever seemed overjoyed at my presence. She had such a radiant and childlike smile, dropping the spatula she was holding to run to me for a hug. Other servants at the kitchen winced at us with disgust.

“You’re on kitchen duty?” I asked.

“Yes. I’m the food tester today,” Heejin said, saluting at me with a stiff pose before falling into a fit of giggles.

I frowned, immediately alerted. “Do you know what you have to do?”

“Yes, I taste the food and see whether it needs more sugar or salt. I guess I’m helping the chef,” Heejin answered, completely oblivious to her actual task.

Being a food tester meant she had to test the food for poison. Judging on the previous assasination attempt on Baekhyun, food poisoning was a very likely scenario. They were setting her on death row, letting her play a cruel game of Russian Roulette.

“That sounds fun!” I faked my amazement, knowing full well that I couldn’t tell Heejin the truth. I needed to protect her, somehow. “Can I see the meal?”

“Of course!” She skipped her way to another counter, ignoring numerous eyes who followed her trail. She returned to me with a full tray, containing at least five different courses in different sizes of plate.

“I happen to test the meal for Prince Minseok today. I recall him saying that he likes sweet things, so I’ll make sure his meal will fit his taste buds perfectly,” Heejin sang, swaying on her feet before clumsily putting the meal down. 

I watched her expression, full of hope, full of adoration. I had a feeling all along, but desperately wished it hadn’t been true. Heejin’s feelings for Minseok went beyond ordinary admiration. She liked him, and I couldn’t possibly tell her about what happened between Minseok and I. She’d get her heart broken.

At the same time, I wondered how she knew Minseok’s favorites so well when it took me years to learn it. I wondered what Baekhyun’s favorite was.

Wait.

No, I should not be thinking about Baekhyun. So I quickly shook my head and slapped my cheeks to focus on the royal meal. Heejin probably thought I was doing some warmup ritual, cause she mimicked me and prepped her own cheeks as well, keeping her eyes on my next moves. Now came the actual work. 

I inhaled a whiff from the luxurious meal, trying to pick up something out of the ordinary, but everything smelled normal. Based on my knowledge, there were only a few poisons that left no olfactory trace, but they’d show a significant reaction when placed against different temperatures. It was difficult to create the perfect, untraceable poison. Therefore I knew, this was safe for Heejin to test.

“What about Baekhyun’s meal?” I asked, trying to keep my voice as indifferent as possible, but Heejin focused more on my question instead of my delivery and turned to me with a wide grin.

“Aw, you must love him so much to care for him to this extent. No wonder he couldn’t live without you,” Heejin winked. And before I could protest, she had already gone off to retrieve Baekhyun’s meal.

It was the exact same dish as the one for Minseok, placed in the same order, measuring the same portion. I was relieved to find no poison here either. We may be safe today, but I couldn’t possibly check our meals every single day. Neither could I afford the food servants to walk on a tightrope.

“Say, who is in charge of the kitchen?” I asked, and when Heejin lightly cocked her head sideways, I amended. “I need to speak with the person who was in charge of the banquet during the explosion.”

“Uhm…”

“That would be me.”

The both of us turned around, seeing a guy walk up to us in a slow pace with no hint of rush or urgency. His bloodred eyes scanned me up and down, and judging on his lopsided lips, I disgusted him. He must be a vampire, then—one who was rather on the shorter side.

“How should I address you?” I asked.

“My name is Kyungsoo,” he said, the disinterest in his voice indicating he had no plans to elongate our conversation. “Why should the crown prince’s betrothed summon me?”

“You must be aware that someone tried to poison him on the day of our engagement announcement,” I say.

“Ah, but that was a fable you made up, human. We have tested the food prior to serving the guests and nothing happened,” Kyungsoo said calmly, never sparing me a glance. The steaming cauldrons were a far more interesting sight to him.

“You think I lied?” I asked, wondering how I could convince him otherwise. I couldn’t tell him I was highly trained in toxicology. Sometimes, Minseok even forced me to eat or drink the poison in order for me to be able to differentiate the smell and taste. Plus, being exposed to so much poison eventually allowed my body to become more immune to them. Mithridatism. I knew there was poison in Baekhyun’s glass.

“Yes, humans lie all the time to get what they want. You think you can earn the crown prince’s favor by creating make-belief mayhem,” Kyungsoo said, and I held the biggest urge to punch him. 

“My motivations are of no concern to you. I need to know the ones on duty that day,” I said, and Kyungsoo let out a mocking scoff of disbelief.

“Human, I won’t waste my time on you,” he said, ready to leave, when I remembered he had no right to treat a future queen in this manner. In their eyes, I was Baekhyun’s betrothed.

“I’ll tell the crown prince you refused to cooperate,” I bellowed, and he halted in his tracks. It was working. So I tilted my head in the same arrogant manner Baekhyun always did and extruded authority in my voice. “If you want to keep your position as a palace worker, you better provide me the details I asked for. So let’s try this again. Who were on duty that day?”

Kyungsoo’s lips twitched in annoyance as he glared at me. He didn’t know that I was bluffing, and pondered whether he should obey a human girl or keep his vampire pride. He clenched his fists.

“One moment,” he breathed out through gritted teeth, and returned to the back of the kitchen to retrieve a thick book that was barely held together by its spine. Several pages were detached, and some had burned or torn edges. It looked a century old.

Heejin and I stared at each other in wonder before looking at the book. He flipped the old-looking book to the last few pages of entries, browsing through the pages for the exact date. My eyes follow his finger as he slid down the page, finally stopping at a new time mark.

“It starts here,” he tapped the page. “The book records every single person who set foot in the kitchen, the ones in charge of food testing, and the people who brought out the food.”

“Does it record who was in charge of Baekhyun’s wine?” I asked.

Kyungsoo let out a long and annoyed sigh, flipping to the next page. I even heard him mutter the words ‘troublesome’ and ‘manipulative’ under his breath, probably describing me. 

“Here it is,” Kyungsoo said, like he had lost all will to live and was wasting his final breath. “We had a lack of men that day, so we asked the guards for help.”

“Guards?” I asked, looking down at the name by his index finger. The person who brought wine to the royal table. “Chanyeol.”

“Ah! That’s the guard who guarded my cell!” Heejin remarked. “Was he the one who poisoned the crown prince?”

“I hope for his sake that he wasn’t,” I said, feeling my dagger throb against my leg, reminding me that it was ready to slit a vampire’s throat when needed. “Thank you, Kyungsoo. Your service is well appreciated. Maybe I will ask the crown prince to promote you.”

I thought the offer would entice him, but instead, Kyungsoo closed the book and turned his back on me. More words of profanities escaped his mouth, clearly uninterested in my token of appreciation.

“So, what will you do now?” Heejin asked me, her eyes glistening curiously.

“Try to solve a mystery,” I said, enjoying as she gaped at me in amazement, even clapping her hands. It felt nice knowing someone supported my actions, even if they might possibly turn a little bloody. 

Before I left the kitchen, I remembered there was something else Heejin could help me with. “Heejin, do you still meet up with Prince Minseok?”

“Oh, um…” Her cheeks took on a rosy blush, and I composed myself not to expose my envy. “Well, occasionally he invites me to come over at night.”

“What?”

“Just to have some wine. I’m becoming a pretty great drinker,” Heejin quickly corrected, afraid I’d get any weird ideas. “I asked if we should invite you over, but Prince Minseok said your fiance might be against it. I figured it was true.”

I lost the resolve I had over my own expression and let an annoyed frown slip, one which caught her immediate attention. Why was Minseok inviting Heejin over and over again? What could they possibly need to talk about? Perhaps I should pay an unexpected visit someday.

“It’s alright,” I lied, flashing a smile. “But I do need your help.”

“Oh! What is it?” She looked too eager to assist me, springing to attention at once.

“There is this book in Prince Minseok’s room. I need to borrow it, but it’s impossible for him to hand it to me since people might start gossiping. Maybe you can hand it over after he falls asleep,” I made half of the story up in order to win Heejin’s trust. 

She nodded, immediately understanding the situation. “Don’t worry, Yeonji. I’ll get the book for you tonight.”

“That fast?” 

“Yes. Anything for you.”

I smiled, patting Heejin’s head like she was a sister to me. At this point, she was the closest person I had to a ‘friend.’

“Thank you.”

***

It had been too long since I wore my assassin’s outfit, finally something different from those frilly gowns. My outfit was a shade of the darkest night sky. I wore a long sleeved dress that ended above my thighs, pairs with tight leggings that had sewn in sheaths for my knives, a knee length booth that allowed easy movements, and a hooded cape to conceal my face. 

In this state, I approached the jail I had once escaped from. As expected, Chanyeol was guarding the cell which contained two human boys. I didn’t recognize them, but their bodies did not gleam in the mystical way a vampire’s did. 

Another guard appeared to take over Chanyeol’s shift, and as soon as Chanyeol headed over my direction, it was showtime.

A common rookie mistake would be to ambush him right here, right now. It was too close to the cell, where another guard could act as reinforcement. Instead, I quietly trailed after him as he took the path through the inner dungeon. Even better, it was secluded.

When I made sure he was far enough from all sorts of civilization, I threw a stone farther ahead in his path, creating an illusion that someone was ahead of him. He halted, just as planned.

“Who’s there?”

While he drew his sword to the opposite direction, I quickly dashed from behind, easily slipping my arm around his neck in a deathgrip. From our previous encounter, I knew he was quite easy to fool, but he was still taller than me. So I prepared another one of my poisons, a scent that would disable him from moving for several minutes. I held the bottle to his nose, ensuring he took a good whiff.

“Who… Who are you? What do you… want?” 

The effect took place almost immediately. I watched his words slow down as he continuously shook his head, like a bug flew into his eyes. He tried to fight it, but lost his balance and fell to the ground. Too easy.

I knelt down in front of him, taking my dagger from the sheath. 

“I heard you tried to kill the crown prince,” I whispered, altering my voice to sound as deep and mysterious I could muster, like the woman of his nightmare.

“What?” He yelped, trying to shake his head, but feeling more nauseous instead. “I… I didn’t.”

Of course, how could I expect him to speak the truth while I was being nice? I grabbed him by his hair, forcing his head up while I pushed the knife against his throat, ensuring it wouldn’t pierce him just yet.

“You were the one who served the wine, right?”

“Wine? Ah… wine! Yes, but someone else served the crown prince.”

I pressed the knife closer against him, and he whimpered, unable to get away as I held him in my hold. “Who?”

“I… I don’t know… I’ve never seen him before.”

“What?” I tightened my grip, pulling the roots of his hair as he began to scream. “Are you telling me that you allowed a  _ stranger  _ to serve the crown prince’s meal?”

Chanyeol burst out in tears, sensing the fluctuating anger in my voice and my grip. “I… I’m sorry. But.. Oh! I remember his hand!”

I frowned. “Explain.”

“He wore a prosthetic one, I think.”

“How the hell would you know that?”

“I saw him rotate it and I laughed because it was strange… Please, I really don’t know anything else.”

I rolled my eyes as he began to plead for his life, regaining some strength in his arms as he rubbed his hands together like a prayer. Since he gave me some information, I guess I could spare him. He must not be as foolish as he looked if he was able to figure out this much.

“If I find out you lied to me, the next time we meet, you’ll be pleading for me to end your life,” I whispered, and exerted some force as I smashed his head to the ground. Perhaps it was a little harsh, but I needed him to be unconscious. I didn’t want him to secretly try to ambush me as I returned to the main corridors of the palace.

Setting my knife back at my sheath, I wondered about the guy with a prosthetic hand and how I could find him. I couldn’t possibly shake hands with every man and try to pull on their hand out. It’d be ridiculous.

Once I was within the castle’s high ground, I swiftly leapt from shadow to shadow, remaining unseen to the guards on duty. With my agility, I should make it back in time before Baekhyun finished his meeting with the king. So I sprinted my final steps and hurried back to the room. 

As I was about to breathe out in relief, I heard a familiar scoff resonating through the room. Baekhyun was halfway undressing himself when I made my great entrance.

His cold eyes flickered at me, observing me from the top of my hooded cape to the bottom of my knee-length boots. Then he smirked.

“I like this look on you.”

Normally, I’d have a clever comeback for his comment, but I secretly enjoyed his attention too much to ruin it. Only when he settled his gaze on my eyes did I speak. “It’s my vampire hunting look.”

“Which reminds me,” he began, approaching me as I stood guard in my spot. He removed the hoodie from my head, gently brushing strands of hair away from my face. “You said you’re an assassin, right?”

“Yes.”

He smirked. “If you truly want to come with me to one of my meetings, I need to make sure you won’t get yourself killed.”

“Do you underestimate me?” I wanted to scoff, but within the blink of an eye, he got both of my wrists in his grip, locking my legs with his stance. I was immobile.

“I think you overestimate yourself,” he said, still not letting go as he pushed his entire body closer against me. “You may be fast for a human, but not fast enough against a vampire. The ones attending the meetings are the more proficient fighters.”

“I… I was unprepared.”

“Did I distract you?” He grinned arrogantly, so full of himself like always. I was not going to admit he was right and looked away. But soon, his chilling fingers found its way back to my chin and tilted it to face him. “I need to see what you’re really capable of.”

I frowned, realizing what this meant. “You want a mock battle?”

“Are you scared?”

“It’s just very odd having to hurt you if it meant I’ll hurt myself,” I said.

“That is  _ if  _ you hurt me.”

“Please, Baekhyun. The first night, I nearly stabbed you,” I said proudly.

“I was unprepared,” he copied me and cocked his head sideways, waiting. “So? Do you accept my invitation, sweetheart?”

“The king-to-be personally extended his offer to me, how could I possibly decline?” I asked, forcing a feigned smile which he laughed at.

If he had given me the same offer a few weeks earlier, I wouldn’t have hesitated to stab him even at my own expense. But now, I wasn’t sure I could expose my entire ability when I’d be cautious not to hurt him too much.


	17. Duel

That day, I opted to wear the underarmor of a novice knight: a semi-tight latex material that allowed me to move freely without pressing too much to my body. The black color was a close resemblance to my regular assassin outfit, one I chose not to wear in case it could arise recognition and suspicion to passersby.

“I was hoping you’d wear something a bit more revealing,” Baekhyun’s voice greeted me, and he appeared in a similar outfit.

I smirked, taking the rubber band from between my teeth to tie my hair into a high ponytail. “This fight was supposed to be fair and square. I didn’t want to cause unnecessary distractions.”

The statement only made him grin, his gaze shimmering with fascination or an upcoming scheme. Lately, it had become harder to tell. 

When I secured my ponytail, he led me to a nearby table set in the gazebo of the smallest royal garden in the palace. Still, it was spacious enough for a duel. The sturdy floor was made of cement, and the pillars surrounding it could be used to one’s advantage. An assortment of swords and knives of different lengths and sizes were ready for the taking, reminding me of the variety I had seen in Jongdae’s torture chamber. Of course, the weapons displayed here were more common choices. 

“Ladies first,” he said.

Being an assassin, I was more trained using daggers. It’d be harder to move stealthily carrying a long sword in my hand or strapped over my back. Daggers were my best friend when going for a kill. They hardly missed their target.

Therefore, I picked up the long sword.

“That’s a surprising choice,” he remarked, having seen me with my dagger multiple times. He chose a long sword as well, but one that was larger and more embellished than mine. I wonder if the handle was made of real gold.

“I’m going easy on you,” I provoked him, though it was true. I wasn’t as proficient with a sword, which was ideal considering I had no intention of hurting him.

The playfulness in his gleam darkened and a cruel smirk made an appearance on his lips. He distanced himself from me and took his position, sword hauled towards me. “Sweetheart, I assure you that victory is already mine even if you did not restrain yourself.”

If he thought taunting me was going to make me want to fight properly, he was right. He was poking at my pride, knowing the exact words to trigger me. Perhaps I could abstain from hurting him and still win. It was just another sparring session.

I mimicked his stance, going over the strategy I had formed in my head last night. I had never seen Baekhyun fight before, and in order to defeat him, I needed to know his fighting style. So I was quick to thrust my sword toward him, multiple times, but he easily deflected them. I tried hitting him from other directions, all of which he successfully blocked without moving from his spot. 

As I planned on which part to test next, I did not expect him to make a sudden movement, aiming for my waist. I evaded to my right, missing his blade by an inch.

“Not bad,” I earnestly spoke, impressed with the way he handled his sword. From our small barter, I assessed him to be the calculative type. He would strike only if he knew he could hit, then return to full defense. It was a smart strategy to preserve his energy and not waste it on unnecessary attempts.

I, on the other hand, was never fond of waiting if I saw an immediate opportunity. I began to attack him from directions he wouldn’t expect, yet he easily blocked them all. Soon, I had absolved my intention to do this halfheartedly. He drew me to fight as if it were real. I wanted to land a blow. 

The loud sound of our clashing swords had garnered a crowd of onlookers, royal advisors, officials, soldiers, and servants alike. Whoever passed by stopped to watch our duel. Among them, I noticed Minseok entering the courtyard with Heejin by his side. The sight must’ve surprised me enough to lose focus, and the next thing I knew, Baekhyun’s attack knocked the sword off of my hand before I could parry.

“Don’t get distracted now. You’re making it too easy for me to win,” Baekhyun sang.

Another taunt. But what he didn’t know was that I was better off without the long sword. I knew he wouldn’t attack me now that I carried no weapon. He was too prideful for that.

Boldly, I ran up to him, hearing a chorus of gasps from the audience. I swung my feet and kicked the sword from his hand, a move so quick he failed to defend against it. Weaponless, I pushed him against the nearest pillar, pressing my entire weight to prevent his escape. On of my hands went to his neck, ready to strangle him if I had wanted to. 

“That’s not fair. It was supposed to be a swordfight,” he said calmly. I was aware he went easy on me, and I returned the favor.

“Under normal circumstances, I’d be holding a dagger to your neck,” I said, reminiscing our very first night together. I had been this close to him. But instead of killing him, I had chosen to do something else. I couldn’t help but lower my gaze to his lips, remembering what we had done that night, conscious of how close we were right now. I swallowed a little.

“Hm, this is not good,” Baekhyun suddenly said, his voice a warm whisper against my lips.

“What?”

His free hand snaked to the small of my back, pulling me closer. “Being this close to you makes me want to kiss you.”

His confession surprised me, sending fluttering shudders down my stomach. I wasn’t the only one having such thoughts. Right as I felt a blush about to creep, he pushed me away.

The bastard tricked me.

He slid over the floor, trying to grab his sword, but I was faster. I exerted all my strength as I hauled to where he was, tackling him on the floor before he could pick up his weapon. I jumped and quickly scrambled on top of him, using my weight to hold him down. 

“That was a cheap trick,” I said. “Still, I won.”

“Oh, but I wasn’t tricking you, sweetheart. I would still very much like to kiss you,” he said, his lips tilted into an arrogant smirk.

Before I knew it, his hand wrapped around my back, pulling me down toward him, guiding my lips to his. He kissed me, and I heard him exhale a long and satisfied groan, as if he’d been waiting forever just to do this. It took every strength in me to stay wary of him, to not give in to his desire, or my own. But when I felt him deepen the kiss and thrust his tongue inside, I lost every bit of resolve I had.

Honestly, hadn’t I been wishing for something like this to happen? I had always craved for his touch, for his fingers to tangle between my hair, even if my ponytail was slowly coming undone. The same lips that had uttered back and forth banters were exactly where I wanted them, pressed on mine. We kissed like those days when he believed these yearnings were a punishment, and maybe they still were. I wanted more of him.

His lips moved lower to my neck, I arched my head for him. Feeling the soft swirls of his tongue, and gentle nibbles of his lips, I couldn’t help but let out a moan. One which was met with several scandalized gasps.

My eyes went open, suddenly very aware that we were still in the middle of the garden, and were still accompanied by the growing number of spectators.

Shoot.

“B-Baekhyun, I… I think we should stop,” I forced the words out my throat, pulling away from his lips. Here and there, I saw a red blush forming on several servant girls. Knights looked intrigued, as if they wanted a part of this. And the royal advisors were appalled. Everyone knew of Baekhyun’s frivolous behavior, but none had seen it first hand.

But then, my eyes fell on the one person whom I desperately hoped had not seen any of it. Minseok never took his gaze away, but I couldn’t read his emotions. Betrayed that I hadn’t killed the crown prince? Angry that I had kissed another man? Or dejected I hadn’t told him about this play? Except that it hadn’t been a play. My body betrayed me by going along with Baekhyun’s advances. 

Before I could say anything, Minseok turned away from me. Heejin quietly followed, her face entirely red.

“You have won, sweetheart, as I knew you would,” Baekhyun said.

“If you had known, what was the point of this duel?” I asked, my feelings still in knots.

“One, to show everyone how strong my fiancee is, thus earning you a place at our council meetings,” Baekhyun said, grinning. “And two, to prove that we’re madly in love.”

My mouth fell open, hating myself for admiring his way of thinking. Never had I imagined this silly duel to accomplish those two tasks. No wonder he let those people watch. News was bound to travel fast around here. Problem was, I didn’t know whether they’d be gossiping about my victory, or the racy celebration that followed afterwards.

***

All day long, whenever people saw me, they were quick to avert their eyes. Perhaps I had scared them using my superior mortal strength, and perhaps they were too embarrassed to reminisce the public makeout session under the gazebo. Worst part was, I wasn’t even sure I was angry at my soulmate.

Only when night time came did things quiet down a little. The few guards on duty tried their best to maintain their poker face, but some couldn’t help a bashful grin or a lewd smirk.

“Unbelievable,” a feminine voice spoke in the harshest tone she could muster. I neared my room, seeing Jihye wait in front. She was dressed in pink, the gown not as elaborate as her usual choices, but still pompous and lots of frills and unnecessary decorations here and there. It still made her look ridiculously beautiful like a goddess herself. “I’ve heard about today’s spectacle.”

“Then you better not stand in my way, cause it’d be very easy for me to stab you in your throat,” I said.

She flinched, and I saw her head recoiling a little at my threat. “My fiance wouldn’t let you get away with that.”

“As a matter of fact, I think he’d be quite delighted. We both know how fond he is of blood and violence. Perhaps he’d help me and thrust a second knife to the other side of your neck,” I said calmly, even motioning the gruesome act to make her hiss in pain.

“That’s not the point! I came to tell you that you’ve ruined Baekhyun’s reputation. Ever since you came, he has never taken another woman to bed. And now, he publicly devours you for everyone to see. There have been rumors about his debauched lifestyle, but until now, they had only been rumors. That is no longer the case.”

“Oh, Jihye,” I sang woefully, daring myself to pat her on her cheek. “It must be frustrating to see the man you love besotted to a human girl like me. But as long as you’re Jongdae’s fiancee, there’s nothing you can do.”

I was about to head inside when she spoke again.

“Then I’ll renounce my engagement! I shall give Jongdae up to become Baekhyun’s woman. I’ll be his queen!”

Her words surprised me. I never knew she loved Baekhyun to this extent, making me wonder once again why she had gotten engaged to Jongdae in the first place. Suddenly, I remembered the truth Baekhyun had once told me.

_“Even if we’re engaged, I won’t swear my loyalty to you. Consider it an open relationship.”_

We may be soulmates, but he was free to love and kiss whomever he wanted. A king was known to have many consorts. Our engagement was faked because he couldn’t trust me out of his sight. The moment Jihye was free, Baekhyun could claim her as his true queen.

Something about the thought stung, but I wouldn’t give Jihye the satisfaction of seeing me hurt.

“Even if you renounce your engagement, Baekhyun wouldn’t choose his brother’s leftovers,” I said, perhaps a bit too harsh, but I couldn’t help myself from wanting her to give up. 

Right then, I saw Heejin arriving from around the corner with a book in her hand. Seeing Jihye’s murderous expression, she timidly hugged the book closer to herself and dared not move.

“If you excuse me, I have more important matters to attend. You are dismissed,” I told Jihye, purposely inserting authority into my tone to further provoke her. Then I motioned for Heejin to enter my chamber.

“W-What was that all about? She looked like she was about to kill you,” she said hesitantly.

“She was, but she knows I’d kill her first,” I mumbled, and reached out to Heejin. “Is that the book I asked you for?”

“Yes. I’m sorry it took me longer than expected. The prince asked me to drink wine with him again.”

I set the book on the table and gave her a weird stare. “Again? I see he has requested your attendance quite frequently.”

“Yes,” Heejin replied shyly, pulling the bottom of her shirt to keep her fingers busy. “I might get beheaded for this shameful thought, but I think the prince is quite fond of me.”

I wanted to deny her words, but perhaps I had been deluded since the start. Minseok may have confessed his feelings for me, but like a king, a prince was able to take his own consorts as well. Perhaps his affections were no longer mine alone.

As I looked at Heejin, doing my best to offer her a supportive smile, I couldn’t help but notice the small red mark on her neck. My mind desperately looked for other explanations, but I knew what it really was.

“He kissed you, didn’t he?” I asked, sensing the defeat in my own tone.

“W-What? I…”

“I can see it.” I pointed at my neck to mirror hers. “You have a hickey.”

“Oh, um…” Her face flushed red again, and she awkwardly pulled her shirt up to try and cover the mark I wished I hadn’t noticed. “At first I thought I was only a human servant he could toy with, but lately he began to open up about his feelings. I know I shouldn’t think so highly of myself, but perhaps he truly likes me. I mean, a relationship between a vampire and human isn’t as taboo as it used to be. Look at you and the crown prince.”

The more she talked, the more I wanted her to shut up. But I knew she didn’t deserve any of my resentment. She had done nothing wrong. Minseok had kissed me once and he had told me he loved me, but he was a prince and I was his assassin. There was nothing to pursue. Just as Baekhyun was soon to be king, and I was the mortal soulmate chained to him.

What was I doing? Why was I playing a charade with the two princes, believing I could ever become anything more? It suddenly became very clear to me that I was a mere mortal who’d be insignificant once they no longer needed me to play my role.

I straightened my lips and turned to Heejin with a teasing smile. “So the wine drinking is just an excuse, huh?”

“No, we do drink wine. And we chat.” She lowered her head and licked her lips. “And we kiss.”

“Ah.” I wished she had skipped over the last bit. “Well, thanks for bringing me this book. You may return to your duty.”

“Yes.” She saluted me and headed to the door. But then she stopped, ran back to me, and threw her arms around me. “I think you were amazing fighting the crown prince today. It shows the vampires that they shouldn’t mess with you, and that humans aren’t as fragile as they seem.”

Her words made me smile, and I knew I couldn’t bear any ill feelings towards Heejin even if I tried. She was another woman who fell for Minseok’s charm and kindness, something I understood too well.

I opened the book before me, my limited fae language learning sessions allowing me to slowly identify the letters. But even so, they still didn’t make sense.

I flipped another page, seeing a bunch of loose papers hidden between. I remembered seeing these in Minseoks’s room the very first time I set foot there. The fae symbols I had learned were written on it, but next to them was an alphabetical letter that was different from the one Baekhyun taught me. Had he tricked me or…

I gasped.

The entire book was written in codes. No wonder nothing made sense. It hadn’t been my inadequate skills, but each letters were assigned to a different alphabet.

Whatever was written in this book was important enough that Minseok had tried to decode it. Soon, I will find out what.


	18. Council

How much time did I have? I forgot to ask Heejin whether she took the book with Minseok’s permission or sneaked it out of his room. If it were the latter, he’d be bound to find out, meaning I wouldn’t have much time left.

Luckily, Minseok had cracked the alphabetic codes. My hands moved at rapid speed as I began to copy his notes, transcribe the deciphered alphabet, and trace the textbook paragraphs. Mira had said this book was forbidden for a reason, and Minseok had seemed so keen on hiding it. I knew something was here.

“You wield the pen as if it were a dagger, what are you doing?” Baekhyun suddenly whispered into my ear.

I flinched, unable to hide the papers. I was too focused writing to hear him enter the room. Covering these up would arise more suspicions. Maybe I didn’t have to hide them. Considering his awful relationship with his brother, I doubted he’d tattle me out to Minseok.

“Studying,” I replied, morphing my lips into the most composed smile I could muster. I can’t show him my panic.

“The fae language?” His eyebrows lifted. He leaned his arm against the backrest of my chair, standing incredibly close to me. The whiff of jasmine filled my senses at once, and I had the sudden urge to draw closer to him. 

He bent down to look at the paper, and I inhaled sharply, too aware of our close distance. If he turned his head to me, our lips might have touched.

“These don’t make any sense,” Baekhyun said, mouthing the letters to himself. They formed no coherent words whether it was in the human or fae language.

“Guess I’m wasting my time then.” I shrugged as casual as possible. I knew it was out of character to give in this easily. He may start suspecting something, but the growing smile on his face indicated he had something else on his mind.

He moved the papers and books aside without prying any further. Then he sat himself down on the table before me, led me to my feet, and pulled me so that I was positioned between his thighs. My body reacted in obedience to his lead.

“You proved yourself a formidable opponent today,” he spoke, hands linking behind my back. His gleaming red eyes looked up at me, but they were soft and I could almost detect pride in them. I knew he had been going easy on me, but his compliment still made me giddy and eager for more. “I have talked to my father, and you shall join our meeting tomorrow afternoon.”

I blinked in surprise and suppressed my smile. “You finally believe I can fend for myself?”

He got up on his feet and lifted my chin to meet his face. His fingers continued to linger against my cheek, stroking ne. “I do, but you must never lose guard. I will always protect you, but there may be times when I’ll fail to do so.”

Such kind words would imply romance in another couple’s case. As much as I wanted to delude myself into thinking he had begun caring for me, I mentally reminded myself he was only trying to protect himself. 

“That’s fine,” I said, tiptoeing so that I’d be close enough to give him a peck. He flinched a little, expecting me to steal a kiss, but I didn’t. I grinned instead. “I’ll protect the both of us.”

***

I was dressed in a regal red dress that was bound to stand out in a crowd. The trumpet sleeves added an elegant sway to my movement, which would strain me during a fight. At least I wasn’t required to wear a puffy gown Jihye was always so fond of, which would make it impossible to run.

Next to me, Baekhyun was fashioned a royal outerwear that matched the color of my dress. He looked every bit ready to rule the kingdom, and had he cared more for humans, perhaps I’d let him. But the person I wanted as king was one who was willing to protect my kind.

“I understand your urge to provoke your enemies, but do not deliberately taunt anyone into battling you,” he whispered another advice.

“Got it. And when am I allowed to kill them?” I asked, and to my surprise, his eyes dulled with some sort of disapproval, as if the idea of killing his subjects truly appalled him. I knew he was no coldblooded murderer as I or Jongdae were, but was he actually willing to show them mercy?

“When they show any opposition and you suspect they may retaliate against you. Still, it does not mean you should act recklessly,” Baekhyun spoke, as if he knew exactly what I was planning to do.

I smiled, nodded, and linked my hand around his arm. My dagger was strapped to the ankle of my boots. I was ready.

We entered the same room where we had announced our engagement, but the decor was less than festive. Dark curtains hung from high ceilings, almost preventing the sunlight from coming in. It used to be a common belief that sunlight could harm vampires. Such were the tales fabricated in the first section of the forbidden book I had decoded.

There were at least four rows of long tables with 15 seats each. At the very front, on top of the podium, were the high throne for the king, and two smaller build thrones beside them for the princes and me. An equally magnificent table clothed in a gold satin fabric laid in front. 

As I headed to my respective seat, I saw the royal vampire advisors regarding me as if I was a strange being who did not belong in this place. They were very open in showing their opposition.

“How exciting to have you join us.” Surprisingly, it was Jongdae who greeted me with excitement. He looked too giddy at my appearance. Perhaps he could sense a bloodbath coming up.

“I am surprised your fiancee isn’t here,” I said, immediately feeling Baekhyun’s feral stare on us. He made sure not to move too far away, as if he was afraid to leave me alone with Jongdae.

“Jihye isn’t too fond of such meetings,” Jongdae said.

“Really? Last time I talked to her, she seemed pretty ambitious to become queen,” I blurted, leaving him to figure out the meaning of my words. And when Jongdae’s eyes fell on Baekhyun, a part of him must’ve understand. His giddiness was soon replaced by gritted teeth and balled fists.

Baekhyun wasn’t given a chance to question me. By the time I returned to his side and took my seat, the king had begun to speak.

“Today, we are joined by the crown prince’s fiancee, Choi Yeonji,” the king introduced me, and I felt the scorn in his voice. 

I didn’t expect the vampires to welcome me, but neither did I expect them to blatantly display their hatred towards me. They stared as if they were suppressing their own powers from killing me. 

There were a few familiar faces I recognized. Sehun, one of Minseok’s troupe I used to train with who had earned his place as a high ranked general was there. Mira, the vampire seer who knew of my bond with Baekhyun, was present too. At least they didn’t look like they wanted my head on a silver platter.

“Why is she here?” One of the vampires asked. He had grey hair and grey eyebrows that extended all the way to his shoulders. Must be a senior vampire, I guessed.

“We haven’t accepted her as our future queen and we never will,” another one chimed in dramatically.

Soon, half the room broke out in boisterous noises, speaking through each other to voice their disagreement. They hadn’t been this vocal during the engagement announcement.

“The crown prince ought to renounce her, or else, we shall choose to follow another ruler,” another said.

“Oh?” Baekhyun calmly chimed, his long fingers lazily tapping against the table. “Which other ruler are you referring to?”

I glanced at him, recognizing the cruel tone in his voice, the same one he used on me whenever he was about to torture me. But these royal council meetings were a battlefield, and based on Baekhyun’s stories, I knew what would follow afterwards.

“We could demand for Prince Minseok to be made into king,” another suggested.

Sehun kept his poker face, though I was sure he was rejoicing over this suggestion. Every one of Minseok’s secret followers were. I was supposed to feel the same joy, but somehow, the elation never came.

Did I _not_ want Minseok as king anymore?

“It was the late queen’s wish to crown me the next ruler of this kingdom, and yet you dare to defy her wish?” Baekhyun smirked. 

I threw my gaze to him, surprised at this revelation. Was that why he was forced into this position? Because it had been his dying mother’s final request? His disinterest for the throne and refusal to give it up suddenly made more sense.

“I am certain she did not tell you to marry a mortal and let her rule over us. Because of your insanity, more vampires and humans have begun to engage in this debauchery. You have set a terrible example for your subjects,” the vampire protested.

I was reminded of Minseok and Heejin, wondering whether they were in a relationship. Whatever it was, Heejin had begun to think that it was okay to bear affections for a vampire. 

“I don’t see how that’s my or my fiancee’s fault. We have all been given free will. If they choose to mate with each other, let them,” Baekhyun lazily spoke, as if the matter was too trivial for his sovereignty.

“Your Majesty,” the senior vampire now addressed the king. “The crown prince is too immature to lead us. I beg you, renounce the crown from his head and give it to someone better suited as the future king.”

Several murmurs appeared, each eagerly agreeing.

Baekhyun sighed out loud. “This is clearly a protest of opposition. You are aware what happens to protestors, don’t you?”

His fingers stopped its rhythmic tapping and I realized he had conjured something underneath the palm of his hand. A set of dart pins. But not ordinary ones. I took a quick sniff and recognized the smell of poison. 

My soulmate had poisoned these darts, and I was twisted enough to admire him for it.

“My love,” Baekhyun suddenly called, his voice sickeningly sweet and dark at the same time. “I hope you have memorized the faces of the ones against you becoming queen, for I will grant you the privilege of killing them.”

I blinked my eyes, feeling elation building in me. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” He shoved the darts he had so generously created for me.

Oh, this was too good. I had been idle for too long that the thought of killing some vampires filled me to the brim of excitement.

“Prince Baekhyun, you can’t possibly—”

His words were cut off when I threw a dart, stabbing him just below his throat, toward his neck. Clearly, I was out of practice. The dart was supposed to hit the center of his throat to lessen the pain, but missing the bullseye resulted in his elongated pain. Oops.

“Your Majesty, aren’t you going to stop this?” Another vampire asked, his pale skin unable to hide the fear from his face. It was intriguing. Inviting. Seeing how no one commanded me to stop, I got up from the seat and placed a feet on the table. No one seemed to mind my improper table manners, so I took out the dagger from my boot.

“Your Majesty!”

Before he could beg, I had charged myself in front of him, my agility nearly on par with Jongdae’s. I used my dagger to slit his throat open, right in front of everyone.

Gasps were going around here and there, but this was only beginning. These two weren’t the only ones who opposed Baekhyun. Speaking of which, I stole a glance at the royal table. Jongdae licked his lips, clearly eager to join me. The king looked surprised, but was twistedly amused at the same time. Minseok was a master at masking his emotions and maintained his poker face for the audience. As for Baekhyun, I was surprised to read the frown in his eyebrows as remorse glazed his eyes.

The observation made me lose my focus, and before I knew it, I was hit by a wall of water. I crashed to the ground, trying to spot the culprit. There, a woman held both her hands out towards me. She used her powers and unleashed a powerful stream of water that blew everything out of its path. 

I regained my balance in time and threw myself sideways before the gush of water hit me. But not in time to avoid an upcoming blade. I hissed, feeling the blade cut through the flesh of my arm. Thankfully, it didn’t bleed.

Using the dart pin kept between my fingers, I flicked one towards the water controller, hitting her forehead. I may not have hit an artery, but the venom would spread over her body and slowly kill her. Baekhyun had some impressive knowledge in toxicology, and I couldn’t deny it made him more likeable.

A group of vampires came at me. I had no idea what their powers were, except for the one who could modify his body into steel and had managed to inflict a cut in my arm. 

I instinctively twirled my body in circles and held my dagger out to for their neck. My long sleeves made it harder to move, allowing me to hit only one of my targets. Someone turned his body into liquid to dodge my attack, another blocked it with steel arms, and the others were mere doppelgangers of a man sitting further back, controlling them from afar. What a coward.

I jumped from table to table, picking up as much speed to close in on my easiest prey first. The man controlling his doppelgangers commanded them to chase after me. My wet dress dragged down my movements. I wouldn’t reach him in time. Without hesitation, I exerted more strength as I threw my knife, slashing the top of the vampire’s head open. Seeing the man of steel behind him, I could only think of one way to access his body before he turned it to steel. So I threw a dart pin right into his eyeball.

Sehun was seated next to the vampire, looking rather impressed at my aim. He pulled the dart out of the vampire’s eyes, ignoring the slime it came with, and tossed it back at me. I caught it with ease, grinning at him. He grinned back at me, just like our old training days.

I turned around for my next victim, surprised that slime guy had managed to catch up, grabbing me by my feet, sinking it into a gooey puddle made of his own body.

“Quick! Someone kill the human!” He shouted, his voice deep and echoing in this liquid form. 

I looked up in alert, but realized that no one dared to move. If my duel with Baekhyun hadn’t convinced them enough to lay their hands off of me, I was certain this spectacle had.

“Release me, beg forgiveness, and I might pardon you,” I told the slime guy.

Again, a chorus of gasps followed my statement. I looked up to the royal table, realizing they all looked horrified. The king’s earlier amusement had turned into a look of rage and disagreement. 

Then I remembered Baekhyun telling me that showing mercy was seen as a sign of weakness. One either killed or got killed. That explained the king’s sudden look of disapproval, his red eyes pulled into a raging frown. If I wanted to keep my position, I had to play my role right.

Just as the slime guy withdrew away from me and morphed back to his vampire form, I thrusted my dagger into his chest.

“B-But… You said…”

“I lied.”

I pulled the dagger out, seeing it smeared with his blood. Despite having killed numerous vampires before, the human in me thought this was wrong. Their entire politics were wrong. Were vampires driven into submission through fear? Wouldn’t lies and deceit drive more vampires to turn their back on us instead? 

I looked up at the royal table, my gaze immediately searching for Baekhyun’s. I needed him to tell me I did the right thing. I needed his assurance. But as our eyes met, the dejection never left his gaze. 

That was when I realized that no matter how cruel or demeaning Baekhyun may have acted, between the two of us, _I_ was the monster.


	19. Punishment

Whatever emotion had been on Baekhyun’s face quickly faded when he realized the silence had ensued for too long. He skillfully contorted his expression into that of malice, fooling everyone into believing he had enjoyed the bloodbath.

“Do not underestimate my fiancee for being human. Be grateful, instead, that she bears none of our vampire powers.” Baekhyun smirked, extending his arm for me to return to his side. “God knows what would become of us if she did.”

I let him wrap an arm around my waist, looking every bit the fearsome leaders we were supposed to portray. His words were either praising or chiding me, and whatever dejection I saw earlier was long gone.

“Does it hurt? Should I call a healer?” He suddenly leaned close, eyes on my wounded arm. Of course he felt it. 

“A small scratch won’t kill me.”

He smiled, but his hand searched for mine, clasping my fingers immediately. I stole a glance, wondering what had driven this sudden affection. Unlike usual, he wasn’t trying to manipulate or fluster me. Maybe he was restraining his soulmate, the sadistic monster. 

With Minseok, every kill had been a trophy and I was rewarded with praise. Only now had I begun to question my actions. I had always loathed the vampire for imposing their power over us, for constantly oppressing the weak. But hadn’t I stooped as low as them? I used my strength to assassinate my victims. I treated them as if their lives didn’t matter.

“Now, let us feast before proceeding to our next agenda,” the king spoke, clearly delighted by my performance. He coughed a few times but maintained his regal posture.

The vampire world was truly strange. They didn’t reprimand me for the bloodbath I had created. Jongdae was grinning at me, winking and giving thumbs up when I met his eyes. Minseok smiled kindly at me, possibly glad I hadn’t gotten hurt. In a sense, weren’t we all monsters?

Human servants began to enter the hall, each carrying a tray with stacked bowls of hot soup. I was immediately on guard, remembering Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s testimony. Would the person who had tried to poison Baekhyun be here today? Would he make another attempt?

Instead of finding a suspicious activity, I spotted Heejin among the servants. My heart leaped in panic, knowing she wasn’t the most nimble person out there. Seeing her poor balance was an invitation for disaster. But then, within a split second, something changed. Her arched posture suddenly straightened, her pattering steps became strides of elegance, and the trembling of her hands were no more. She carried the trays like a trained performer, almost as if someone had controlled her body.

I threw my head sideways, watching Minseok move his fingers, weaving his powers into Heejin. He was helping her. Whether he loved her or not, I knew he held her dear enough to aid her.

Minseok blinked, feeling my stare on him. He flinched, and in that split second of distraction, lost his touch of magic. What followed was a loud clashing sound along with a high pitched scream. We both looked over, seeing Heejin’s tray of hot soup toppled over none other than Sehun.

The hot steam was visibly roaming off of Sehun’s body, but the vampire who had the ability to manipulate heat did not scream. He didn’t feel the pain. He did, however, look pissed.

“Foolish human,” he muttered.

“I… I’m sorry!” Heejin yelled, not knowing how to start cleaning her mess. She bowed her head several times, clenching unto the sides of her apron.

“You should be punished for your mistake,” Sehun said.

My heart stomped in protest, and I squeezed Baekhyun’s hand. They wouldn’t possibly attend to a high ranked general suggestion, would they?

“I-In jail?” Heejin shut her eyes, but the tears were already welling.

“A death trial seems more appropriate,” Sehun corrected.

I waited for anyone to protest, but the looks on everyone’s faces showed their eagerness. My vampire massacre was not the kind of entertainment they enjoyed, but torturing a powerless human servant was. There it was again. The disparity. I remembered why I never felt guilt towards my victims. They loathed our kind. They wanted humans to suffer. They killed us over trivial matters.

“Please stop them,” I begged Baekhyun.

“I can’t,” Baekhyun whispered back, his eyes never leaving the scene. “If we show mercy, it will encourage more people to oppose us, which will cause a disturbance in the balance of power.”

“How does this show that we’re powerless? She can’t even fight back. She’s no threat!” I couldn’t help raise my voice, attracting the king and the other princes’ attention. Big mistake.

“Do you fear for her life because she is a human?” Jongdae asked me, his lips twisting into a maniac grin. “Then we have all the more reason to kill her right now. Only a lousy queen shows favoritism. Let’s not postpone the human’s death trial.”

“She hasn’t hurt a member of the royal family. Her trespass is not deserving of death,” I argued. As much as I hated it, I knew their laws. I knew how they worked. Only the royal family had the authority to order a death sentence, but no other vampire was given the same privilege. I was sure I could convince Sehun to take back his threat.

“But she has hurt a high ranked general. We can’t forgive that, can we father?” Jongdae asked, nearly hopping in his seat. He lusted after violence, more so a mortal’s suffering.

“No, we can’t,” the king replied, his voice weak, but his words lethally strong. “General, you may sentence the human servant to death.”

I flinched, slammed my fist against the table, and shot Minseok a look. If Heejin’s stories were true, he must’ve cared for her. He must’ve wanted to put a stop to this. But when I looked at him, I saw the dilemma carved on his face. He did not even dare to meet my eyes, perhaps knowing there was nothing any of us could do.

“No! Please, have mercy. I shall do anything to pay for my wrongdoings. Please, give me another chance,” Heejin was begging, neglecting all dignity when she fell before Sehun’s feet, almost kissing them. But Sehun had hoisted her by her arm and carelessly flung her to the center of the room for all to see.

“You dare defy a king? He has issued you a death sentence.” Sehun retrieved a whip from his robe, the very weapon he used to kill many of his enemies with. As I had chosen a dagger as an extension of my arm, his was the whip.

“Please…” Heejin continued to plead, her voice broken. Her body crumpled on the floor, shaking all over and afraid to meet anyone’s eyes. Tears and snot dripped down her face, creating wet splatters on the floor.

I felt myself trembling all over, but instead of fear, I was consumed by rage. Call me a hypocrite, but this was different than killing vampires. Heejin could not defend herself. She had no power. She was only human. And she was the closest person I had to a friend, perhaps even a sister. 

“Goodbye, human,” Sehun said, hauling his arm over his head, the whip following its forceful movement.

I couldn’t stand this. The moment Sehun exerted energy into his swing, I immediately launched myself from my seat. My overwhelming emotion must’ve granted me additional speed. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. From the swing of Sehun’s whip, to me grabbing my dagger from my boot, standing in front of Heejin with outstretched arms, and cutting the tip of Sehun’s whip off.

The room was engulfed in silence, and I realized my mistake too late.

“What are you doing, Yeonji?” Sehun asked, retracting the whip to himself. He studied the broken tip, appalled at what I had done.

“I’m not letting you hurt her!” I wrapped my arms around Heejin and she immediately clung to me as if I were her lifeline. Seeing the cheerful and smiling girl succumb to this terrified being broke my heart in many ways. I will protect her. I helped her escape death once, and I would do it again.

“Baekhyun, have you no control over your human?” The king asked, his voice filled with much disdain, speaking of me as if I was a pet supposed to be caged. Even so, he failed to mask the fragility in his voice, the heavy breathing that could be interpreted as either anger or exhaustion.

Instead of a verbal reply, Baekhyun got on his feet, and strode towards me. I couldn’t quite read his expression, but I felt the bleak aura of intimidation as he approached.

“Up,” he simply commanded.

I held on tighter, burying Heejin’s head against my chest. She was still crying, desperately clutching on my shirt. “Not until she’s been cleared of her unfair trial.”

Baekhyun didn’t say a word, but his eyebrows twisted into a frown, silently pleading me to listen to him, asking me to trust him. Yet, no matter how much my heart wanted to, I couldn’t let go of my friend without hearing a verbal assurance.

“Very well, Choi Yeonji,” the king interrupted. “If you wish to desperately protect the mortal, we will offer you another alternative.”

The tension in my shoulder loosened and I looked at him in hope. “What is it?”

“You shall take the punishment in her stead.”

My heart dropped.

“Father, surely you can’t mean to kill my fiancee,” Baekhyun argued on both our behalves. If I die, he’d die.

The king laughed instead. “Your fiancee has proven her strength. I am certain that twenty lashes won’t kill her.”

_Twenty?_

I exchanged a panicked look with Baekhyun. I was trained to avoid pain and suffering, not to endure them. He was right. I may be stronger than the average human, but I was still human. No human body was designed to endure this kind of torture.

“Father, you can’t do this!” Baekhyun argued, his arms trembling with clenched fists. He must know as well as I do that his words were meaningless.

“The advisors are right. A wise ruler has no need for mercy. If you wish to defy me, perhaps you are not ready to rule the kingdom,” the father spoke, shutting off his attempts.

“But—”

“Choi Yeonji, tell us, would you still be willing to save your mortal?” The king asked, the meekness in his voice was replaced with something more sinister. It was the perfect reminder of the malicious ruler he had once been in his prime days.

My head was spinning, not expecting the meeting to take this drastic turn. I looked at Heejin, apologizing into my shoulders, begging me not to do it. Then I looked at Baekhyun who shut his eyes and looked away, already knowing what my answer would be.

“I’ll do it.”

I immediately released Heejin and went to my soulmate. “I’m sorry, but I need to protect her. I can’t let her die. You should leave the room and find Lay so he can heal you when I’m hurting.”

“And leave you to suffer on your own? They’ll kill you in my absence,” Baekhyun said, a hand caressing the side of my cheek. His gaze was so warm that it nulled out the coldness of his touch. “I’m not going anywhere, Yeonji.”

Despite my fear, hearing my name rolling off his tongue filled me with a strange sense of confidence. The rapid pace of my heart may have been beating for him instead. I unconsciously pushed my cheek into his touch, and had I not been about to get whipped, I would very much like to stay like this a little longer.

“If I get through this, they’ll know not to mess with the crown prince’s fiancee,” I said, trying to encourage myself. I wasn’t one to back down. I’ll show these bastard vampires how strong a human’s willpower could be. As long as I don’t die, I will continue to fight.

“General Sehun, I give you the honor,” the king said.

I bit my lip and held my head up high. Ignoring Heejin’s apologizing whimpers, Minseok’s helpless plea, Jongdae’s lusty expression, and Baekhyun’s worried one, I stepped before Sehun.

He calmly looked at me, devoid of any emotion. If I expected mercy out of our comradery, I had been wrong.

“Yeonji, you need to strip,” he said, expressionless.

“What?” I shouted, gritting my teeth at him. This wasn’t part of the deal.

“Anyone receiving this punishment needs to bare their skin in order to receive pain,” he continued, as if receiving pain was exactly what I yearned for.

From my peripheral vision, I saw Baekhyun about to argue on my behalf, but I had a feeling it would lead to worse consequences. Seeing how Baekhyun, the crown prince who never gave a damn about anyone or anything in life, care so much about me was bound to draw mockery from his subjects.

“Fine,” I said coolly, doing my utmost best to conceal my trembling arms. I drew my knife, hitched my breath, and to everyone’s surprise, sliced the center of my bodice open, all the way down to my waist. The fabric, along with the corset underneath, hung down my side over my gown. Then I stepped out of my dress and crinoline, giving it one last kick. Bare flesh and skin were exposed in my undergarments.

I caught Jongdae’s sick giggles anticipating the torture. Heejin’s loud sobs nearly masked them out, but they did not assure me any better. 

“Twenty lashes for our future queen,” Sehun announced, raising his arm.

I braced myself, trying to mitigate the pain by clenching my muscles, stiffening them in the best way possible. But when the whoosh of Sehun’s whip sunk into my flesh, all attempts to suppress the pain were meaningless. I let out a cry, the shock reverberating all throughout my body. It stung. It burned. I soon realized Sehun had used his heat manipulation power to brandish the whip like a branding iron, burning every hit into my skin.

Just as I was about to try and adjust myself to the pain, another one cut through my skin, ripping it open. It’d be better if Sehun had hit a different part of my body, but his terrifying accuracy kept aiming for the same part above my waist, over and over again.

I clenched my teeth this time, determined not to let out a pathetic scream. But when the whipping came, I bit my lip so hard that blood drizzled in my mouth. 

How many lashes had I endured? How much were left? I lost count the moment I lost my strength. My feet were limp and it didn’t take long before my knees buckled to the floor. Even so, I tried to sustain myself, crouching on the floor like a four legged animal. This allowed Sehun to aim for my thighs, and I shouted once more, feeling my flesh exposed to the open. Spatters of blood from my body and the whip that was coated in my blood dripped on the floor.

If I was unable to handle this much pain, what about Baekhyun? My vision was filled with sweat prickling my eyes. Maybe they were my tears. I no longer knew. I had to seek out my soulmate. Despite my grunting and crying, I found him. There he was, standing behind his father and brothers, hidden away from people’s gaze.

“Argh!” I couldn’t help but yell, feeling the strength fading from my arm. I fell head first on the floor, too tired to keep myself up. My body trembled, but my hands slipped on my own blood, smacking my face to the floor again.

The faint sound of laughter filled my ears, but I realized I was slowly losing my hearing too. Was that even possible? My head spun with excruciating pain and I felt my consciousness fading.

I looked up again, seeing Baekhyun flinch and throw away his gaze whenever I got hit. He gripped the chair for support, but I saw him about to crouch, an arm clutching over his stomach. He was in pain, because of me. 

For the first time, I released my tears. I could no longer pretend to be tough. It hurt. Everything burned like hell. It felt like I was being skinned alive. I’d rather be killed than take another lash. I couldn’t stand the pain anymore. But despite all that, I knew these tears weren’t meant for me. 

I cried because of Baekhyun. Because I hurt him despite his warnings. Because I failed to protect us when I said I would. Because I no longer wanted to be the cause of his sufferings. Because I had begun to care for him more than I dared to admit. 

For once, I truly wished I knew how to break the soulmate bond.


	20. Confession

For the second time, I wondered whether this was what being in heaven felt like. My head felt a bit airy, and as I slightly twitched my fingers to test my strength, I realized it didn’t hurt as much as I expected it would. Had I experienced a miraculous, supernatural healing?

“She’s awake, Your Highness.”

The female voice wasn’t one I immediately recognized. I knew it wasn’t Heejin, for she’d be a hysteric crying mess, neither was it Jihye who would rather stab me than report my condition to the crown prince.

Ah, but of course. That calm and composed voice belonged to none other than the prophetess. She spoke with a neutrality that showed no favor or disdain towards me. When I slowly regained my vision, the blurry shape before me took the form of Mira.

Next to her was the healer vampire, Lay. I immediately understood why the aftermath of the lashing didn’t feel as horrible as I thought it’d be. The wounds had faded for most part, but trying to support myself up using my arms was still painful. Even a vampire’s power couldn’t fully heal me.

“Yeonji.”

The way my soulmate elicited my name was so warm and unexpected that it set my heart in a frenzy. The relief that washed over me seeing his wellbeing was tremendous.

“You’re fine,” I said, trying to suppress myself from smiling too much.

Baekhyun’s weight pressed the mattress as he sat beside me. He lifted his hand, gently brushing the hair from my face, letting his cold fingers linger a second too long before realizing his own actions. He quickly retracted his hands to himself.

“Foolish, human. You nearly got yourself killed,” he reprimanded me, and I detected an unusual concern laced in his tone. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve believed he was actually concerned for my well being. But he was worried for his own sake, right?

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, turning the other way to avoid seeing the face Baekhyun was making. This was one of those rare moments where I admitted my mistakes, and even so, I was not used to such humility. Crying for his sake filled me to the brim of embarrassment. Hopefully he hadn’t seen it.

“Fortunately, you were quick to save her, Your Highness,” Mira eluded, the faintest hint of a playful smile lifting her lips. “I have never seen you in such distress when your soulmate lost her consciousness. The way you stopped General Sehun’s attack was quite heroic.”

My eyes widened in surprise, and I dared myself to glance at Baekhyun. His lips were pressed on a firm line, his eyes evaded mine, and he even shifted his body away from me. Had my soulmate rescued me in the chivalrous manner Mira had described? My heart raced at the thought alone.

“If she dies, I die. It was only natural for me to stop them from hurting her,” Baekhyun reasoned, and I mentally nodded along. 

Yes, that made more sense. The image of him clutching his chest, trying to withstand the pain was burned into my memory. I had no right to delight in his heroism. He was hurt because of me. He made the right decision by stopping it.

“Nevertheless,” Mira cleared her throat and glanced at me, the smile still sitting on her lips. “Choi Yeonji is a remarkable mortal. Great things shall follow you wherever you go.”

I blinked, wondering whether I had heard her right. Next to her, Lay was nodding along. Was this a prophecy or did these two vampires actually favor me? Unlike all those royal advisors who tried to kill me, they actually saved me.

Baekhyun squinted his eyes, clearly in disagreement. “Mira, Lay, you are both dismissed. Leave me alone with my _sweetheart_.”

So we were back to terms of endearment. I watched Mira and Lay leave, both a little too eager for us to be alone. Strangely, I waved them goodbye as if we were good friends. The idea made me smile a little.

“You must’ve forgotten, but your body is no longer your own,” Baekhyun‘s voice interrupted my thoughts. He weaved his fingers in circular motions, injecting the magic of his power toward me. “It’s mine as well.”

At once, ropes were constricted to my wrists and ankles, holding me across the bed like a cross. None of it hurt, but I was surprised by his sudden move.

“What are you doing?” I couldn’t help but remember our early days when he used to be so fond of tying me up. Recalling those moments actually made me anticipate what was about to come.

“I’m the one asking questions here.” Baekhyun removed the blanket from me, revealing me in only my undergarment. He lowered himself on top of me until our lips were only an inch apart. His gaze turned hooded, and he breathed a sultry whisper in my ear. “Are you going to get yourself hurt again?”

Oh, God. My chest heaved with immediate desire, which was a weird combination with the guilt earlier. This was not how I imagined our conversation to go after being whipped, but his close proximity made me forget all rationale. If my arms and legs were freed, I would’ve pulled him against me. Being restrained from doing so was, perhaps, my true punishment.

“What if I do?” I rasped in surprise when he lowered his face and nibbled my ear. A warm and tingly sensation overcame me, and I lulled my head in response when the gentle flick of his tongue sucked my earlobe. This was new. My arms struggled against the rope, needing the freedom to be able to hold him closer. 

“Then I’ll have to convince you otherwise.” He breathed into my ear. One hand began to tangle itself between my hair, and he turned his face, moving his lips from my ear to hover over my lips. “Promise me you won’t get yourself hurt again.”

I gasped, realizing his other hand had trailed down to my legs. I felt the cold touch of his fingertips tracing an agonizingly slow caress over my inner thigh. He had never touched me there before, but my entire body reacted with inappropriate eagerness. Few days ago I fantasized about kissing him, and now, he was feeding me wilder scenarios.

“You’re not suposed to torture a recently recovered patient,” I rasped, drawing a breath when his hand squeezed my inner thigh.

“Oh, but I’m hardly torturing you,” he said, planting small pecks on my lips, teasing me, torturing me. “It seems you prefer my treatment over Lay’s.”

I whimpered under his touch, afraid of how much I desired him. The wickedness in me slightly wished that Lay hadn’t healed me so that my soulmate would have the entire privilege of doing so.

“Make me the promise, and I shall release you,” he said, and my mind couldn’t help but wonder what kind of release he was talking about. Still, my sense of duty outweighed my body’s carnal desire.

“I can’t,” I said. “As long as they hurt the people I care about, I won’t sit still and do nothing.”

“Even if it means you’re hurting us?”

“ _Especially_ if it means they’ll be hurting you.” I gulped down my saliva, looking away from him. “Because right now, you’re the person I care the most about.”

Baekhyun stopped his lustful advances and towered above me, his eyes regarding me with surprise. I knew by then that he had understood the underlying implication in my words, turning it over and over again in his mind. My confession showed a vulnerability, but if he planned on using it against me, it did not show on his face.

“God, Yeonji,” he grunted instead, disheveling his hair into a mess. “Stop saying things that makes me want you.”

The hold of the ropes around my wrist and ankle loosened, and I felt the magic uncoiling them from me. With my hands free and our confession hanging in the air, something snapped in the both of us.

Like feral beasts who had abstained themselves from their desires for too long, we attacked each other. He climbed on top of me, pushing his lips on mine, and I dug my nails in his back to draw him closer. Our lips moved in sloppy directions, wanting to taste and feel whatever we could grab. He bit me, and I sucked his lips. His tongue swirled in mine, and I wrestled it with my own. Our voices intertwined into a chorus of frustrated gasps and lewd moans. 

With one hand holding me steady in place, his other had found its way to my lower region. This time, I felt the teasing flick of his finger against my panties, and I realized how easy it would be for his long fingers to slip inside. The thought made me shiver with anticipation. I had kissed many men for my tasks, but never had I gone beyond that.

It was strange how easily I eluded my thoughts to satisfy my racy desires when my body should’ve been hurting. As he made my back arch in pleasure, I hardly felt the pain. It was truly astounding considering Sehun had slashed me using his power, manipulating the whip to burn into my skin. 

In fact, it was strange how Sehun made such a big deal of the soup falling incident when he could control heat. He was numb to the pain, as if his entire body was made of plastic and his hands were… prosthetic.

“Wait!” I blurted, pulling away from Baekhyun who was busy leaving marks on my neck.

“What?” He groaned, annoyed by my sudden halt. He tried to resume his kissing, but I pulled away, the gears shifting too quickly in my mind to indulge in his touch. As much as I hated my own interruption, I needed to act on this newfound revelation 

“I know who tried to poison you.”

***

Finding Sehun was easy. We practically grew up alongside each other. Minseok found him a month after I had joined his training ground, and Sehun had also been eight years old by then. The vampire longevity worked different from ours. They started out as infants, but at a certain age, their growth started to slow down. That was why the royal brothers had remained in their age of young adulthood for decades now. 

After a long day of training, I’d often visit Sehun’s room to go over strategies to kill the crown prince. Each of us offered a new idea, though they were childish and ineffective at the time. But as we grew up and fell into our respective role, I had never taken him into account for any of my plans. Perhaps, that was why he didn’t see the need to spare me.

“Sehun!” I slammed my fist against the door, continuously knocking until he’d grew annoyed and answered the door. His face was as calm as ever, the disinterest permanently carved in all his features.

“I’m surprised to see you here this soon,” Sehun said, opening his door wider to let me in.

“Lay healed me.” I walked passed him, scanning the surroundings for any potential weapon he could use against me. Deeming it safe enough, I took a seat on the small wooden stool and propped my arm on the shabby round table. Nothing had changed. His room was still as small and boring as the last time I visited it, which had been years. He opted to use a traditional fireplace to illuminate his room, adding a reddish glow to his wooden walls.

“Right, I forgot you are the crown prince’s betrothed, thus entitled to the royal treatment,” Sehun chided. He closed the door and leaned against it with folded arms. “Should I bow my head and apologize for whipping you?”

He didn’t flinch when I advanced on him, holding my dagger to the side of his neck, the cold blade pressing into his neck. “You think a simple apology would suffice?”

“Sorry,” he said dryly, testing my patience.

I wanted to push my dagger a little deeper to scare him a little, but he had taken his whip and wrapped it around my wrist to immobilize me. Sehun was different from my other opponents. We grew up training alongside each other. He knew all of my sly tricks and prepared himself to counter them, just as I knew how to fight his. As much as I hated to admit it, I wouldn’t be able to take him down in a duel.

“I didn’t come here to kill you,” I said, though a part of me wished I could make him suffer just as much as Baekhyun and I did. I reluctantly retracted my dagger when he released me and paced back and forth around the room, all the while keeping a close eye on him. “I need information from you.”

Sehun raised his eyebrow.

“The day Baekhyun and I announced our engagement, someone tried to poison him,” I said. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

Sehun grinned. He left his post to take a seat at his small round wooden table, inviting me to join him. “Took you long enough to figure out.”

My stomach twisted with unease. Though I had this puzzle figured out, hearing him admit it wasn’t something I had mentally prepared myself for. I sat in front of him, trying to pose my next question with the greatest nonchalance possible.

“Did… Did Minseok order you to do it?”

Sehun caught the worry in my glint and grinned tauntingly. He completely misunderstood my unease. Since our childhood, we had always tried to impress Minseok. I wanted his affection, and Sehun sought after acknowledgment. Coming up with clever strategies was really a feud between us to win Minseok’s favor.

“Yes,” Sehun answered.

My heart shattered. Feelings of confusion and betrayal mingled as one, sweeping me into a typhoon of dejection. Minseok knew I was Baekhyun’s soulmate. He knew that killing Baekhyun would kill me too. But why had he let Sehun go through with it? Minseok told me he liked me. Minseok kissed me. And now he wanted me dead? No, he didn’t _want_ me dead, but he wouldn’t mind if I did in order to get what he wanted. 

The very realization knocked the air from my lungs. My breath sounded like suffocated gasps. My tears threatened to come out. Was it really true?

“But you,” Sehun paid no attention to my asphyxiation, slamming his fist against the table. “You ruined my plan! You told the crown prince about the poison, which boggles my mind up to this moment. Are you that desperate for Minseok’s approval that you’d forgo our mission in favor for your _own_ victory?”

I released a deep, frustrated breath, glaring at him. He couldn’t have been more wrong. 

“Or is it something else?” Sehun leaned closer to the point I could feel his breath grazing the top of my mouth. “Have you fallen for the crown prince, Yeonji?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I spat at him, pushing him away to maintain the distance. I took a deep breath, trying my best to appear as composed as usual, concealing every bit of panic the question had instilled in me. 

“Then why’d you protect him?” Sehun asked.

“Because…” I tripped over my own words, swallowing once. I couldn’t tell Sehun about my soulmate bond, knowing he’d abuse it. We may be somewhat friendly, but he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me if the opportunity arose, especially if it meant the end of the crown prince.

“Because I can’t let him get hurt,” I said, watching the surprise sinking on his face. Wrong answer. I needed a lie, a convincing one. “Not by you, at least. _I’ll_ be the one who’ll kill the crown prince.”

Luckily, Sehun wasn’t the type to overanalyze things. He easily believed me and laughed at my provocation. “You better be quick. It seems that Minseok has found a replacement.”

“What?”

“I used to think you were quite special to him, considering you were the only mortal he had taken under his wings. But lately, I’ve heard there was another mortal girl he’s frolicking with.”

_Heejin._

Apparently, Sehun didn’t know enough to realize that the human servant he warranted a death sentence for was the mortal girl Minseok favored. But Heejin couldn’t possibly be my replacement. She lacked the stealth and agility needed to become an assassin. Unless, perhaps, Minseok never required her in the battlefield. Maybe he needed her to please him in the bedroom. If that were so, then Heejin wasn't a replacement. She was placed into a role I had never fulfilled.

“Are you telling me the truth?” I asked, desperately hoping for a favorable reply, even if it meant he’d lie to me. 

“Everything I’ve told you today was the sole truth,” Sehun said, raising his cup in salute. 

I shut my eyes, needing time to recollect my thoughts. Minseok had allowed Baekhyun to get poisoned. Minseok’s relationship with Heejin had become a public secret. Clearly, my role had slowly shifted into something else. From the prized assassin Minseok was proud of, I had become a tool he could easily dispose of. I don’t know where or how his love confession came into play, but things were changing too quickly.

“I guess I’ll spare you for now,” I said, getting up on my feet. There were more important matters than revenge at the moment. I needed to know the truth.

It was time to pay Minseok a visit.


	21. Exposure

Sehun’s room was located in the underground dungeon area, away from the prison cells, but equally hidden. Navigating through these paths was like walking in a maze, but having frequented his space oftentimes, I knew my way around.

This seclusion was also ideal for visitors who needed some alone time.

I had a bad feeling when I heard some wet smooching sounds, but there was only one way up to the main palace’s corridor. I had no choice but to pass it, not surprised when I saw a couple feeling each other up against the wall. No matter how stealthy I tried to be in the closed off space, the couple quickly noticed me.

“The crown prince’s fiancee,” they both greeted me, lowering themselves on one knee. That title was a mouthful.

“Um… You may rise,” I said unsurely, not used to this kind of authority. 

When they both stood and allowed me a glimpse of their face, I was surprised to see a human man wearing ragged clothing like that of a stable boy and a woman dressed in a fine gown, the color as deep as her red eyes.

“A human and a vampire,” I couldn’t help but mutter, too surprised by the taboo pairing. It was common for male vampires to fool around with mortal females, but this reverse pairing was highly unusual. I didn’t know what to make of it.

“Please, do not punish us,” the female said, wanting to lower herself on her knees again, but the male stopped her. “Out of all people, you ought to understand our affair, Your Highness.”

“Call me Yeonji, and don’t worry, I won’t punish you,” I said. My heart broke a little at the fact she had thought of me as a merciless creature. Maybe I was, but I always had a reason for killing my victims, whether they hurt someone I cared for or whether I was commanded to. I wouldn’t kill people for making out.

“You are too kind, Yeonji. My name is Lee Ahreum, and this is Kim Jongin,” the female said, her brimming red eyes sparkling like a lovestruck maiden. 

I wondered how the mortal guy managed to attract her, but through the rips and tears in his shirt, I caught a glimpse of his chiseled packs. Ah, paired with a delightful personality, I was sure he was attractive enough for the noble vampire lady.

“We know that pursuing such feelings between a vampire and mortal is forbidden, but we can’t help it,” Ahreum continued, anxiously twirling her long brown hair between her fingers. “Ever since the crown prince announced you as his betrothed, we thought things would finally change.”

This was a lot to take in, and not the kind of revelation I needed when I was so determined on confronting Minseok. It made me delusional enough to believe our soulmate bond was somehow able to help others.

“When the crown prince commanded the punishment to be revoked because you had passed out, I saw him in a new light. I never knew he was capable of worrying over anyone other than himself. The way he ran to you and carried you in his arms wholeheartedly convinced me of how much he loves you,” Ahreum continued, clasping her hands together.

Ahreum must’ve been a noblewoman or a high ranked vampire to be able to attend the council meeting. Her account matched Mira’s previous statement, and I wondered what went through Baekhyun’s mind when he ran over to save me. Was the pain too unbearable to the point he had to stop it? Or was he, as they had assumed, extremely worried?

“What you did to protect Heejin was truly heroic,” Jongin said. It was safe to assume he was a castle worker who was acquainted to Heejin. And I felt some sort of pride that Heejin managed to make other friends. “For too long we have been waiting for a ruler who would care for our people. Yeonji, you are our future queen, and we take an oath to be at your service.”

The sudden covenant took me by surprise, and I stiffened as he dipped into a polite bow. How disappointed they’d be once they knew Baekhyun and I were only playing a charade.

“Yes, all of us are looking forward to your upcoming regency,” Ahreum added, making a small curtsy before linking her arms around her lover.

“All of us?” I blinked.

“The ones who pursue a forbidden relationship. There are many of us, but we’re in hiding. Your relationship with the crown prince has given us hope. Perhaps, there is a future for us after all,” Ahreum continued, her red eyes twinkling again.

Although my relationship with Baekhyun wasn’t as romantic like they thought it was, our act was enough to give them hope. I always thought humans and vampires were bound to hate one another and was delighted to know that love could be found in the strangest place. 

“Ahreum, Jongin, thank you for telling me about this. Others may not be as lenient as I am, so do be careful displaying your affection in public,” I said, saluting at them before making my way up.

During the council meeting, Baekhyun said that people were given the freedom to choose whomever they wanted to mate with. Perhaps he had known about his subject’s forbidden desire, and he had spoken on their behalf. Since the beginning, he had never discriminated against humans. He understood that people were free to love whomever they wanted regardless of their race.

I always wanted a world where humans reigned supreme, but perhaps I was wrong. Baekhyun must’ve had the right vision all along. It was possible for humans and vampires to coexist in harmony. _That_ was the greater vision I should’ve been aiming at.

My feet hastened to Minseok’s room, remembering the way through the corridor even with my eyes closed. This new piece of information made me all the more determined to have a talk with Minseok. I had to convince him about this new world order.

The hallway was deserted except for several guards who worked the night shift. Some spotted me, but pretended not to notice in fear I’d attack them, probably. I didn’t mind. My focus was on Minseok, so I knocked on his door.

No one answered. Nearly ten seconds passed in silence before I decided to let myself in. I took a hairpin from my hair and meddled with the lock, a skill Minseok had taught me himself. Maybe I should’ve been more patient, but my thoughts were a whirlwind of revelation that needed to be deliberated.

“Minseok!”

I flung the door open, and froze.

In front of me, Minseok was sitting on his desk, but he had a woman sitting on his lap, her head facing him. He was dressed in only his pants, and the woman was wearing nothing but a thin satin sheet. Minseok had his lips buried against her neck, too busy devouring her to notice my interruption. The woman bent her head sideways, her expression an explosion of pleasure. I immediately recognized her. 

“H-Heejin?”

Now they both looked up. Heejin was clearly dazed, like she hadn’t fully woken up from a euphoric trance. Minseok was surprised at my intrusion, but if he felt at all guilty, his growing smile perfectly concealed it. 

“Oh Yeonji!” Heejin’s voice was dreamlike when she hurriedly stepped off Minseok’s lap. The sheet slightly slipped off her shoulders, exposing her cleavage. She ran up to me and gave me a hug. “I’m so glad to see you’re awake. I went over to your chamber to make sure you were alive, but the crown prince sent me away because you needed to heal.”

I couldn’t process any of her words, too baffled by this situation. Heejin had told me she and Minseok had been kissing, and Sehun did warn me about Minseok frolicking with another woman, but I never knew their innocent kisses would lead to something as lewd as this. What else did they do behind closed door? Had they been sleeping together? Did Minseok love her? Did he still love me?

“To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you, Yeonji?” Minseok asked, smiling so kindly as if he was glad to see me.

“I… I wanted to talk to you,” I awkwardly eyed my friend whom hours ago had cried in my arms uttering breathless apologies. “Alone.”

Heejin giggled as she got dressed, and I quickly turned away to avoid seeing her nude. A part of me wished I had never known about this, but a part of me was glad I did. This changed everything between me and Minseok.

“I was about to leave anyway. Prince Minseok was only trying to comfort me because I had been crying after the crown prince denied my visit.” Heejin gave me a quick hug after wearing her gown. “Thank you for saving me. You have my eternal gratitude.”

Precisely. It was I who saved her while Minseok stood by doing nothing. How could she still want him?

“So, we’re alone now. What do you wish to talk about?” Minseok drew himself closer to me, gently tilting my chin to face him. The move was reminiscent of Baekhyun’s, but much gentler and too careful. I unconsciously stepped back, not understanding why I was refusing the touch I had always craved for. 

“The one who poisoned Baekhyun’s drink during the engagement announcement was you, wasn’t it?” I directly shot at him.

“What?” Minseok’s eyes flashed with hurt.

“Sehun told me all about it. He said you ordered him to do it,” I raised my voice.

“And you believed him?” Minseok asked, disbelief dropping down his eyes. 

“I have no reason not to. You’ve always wanted Baekhyun dead.”

“But not at the cost of losing you,” Minseok spoke, advancing forward so that he could cup my cheeks. “Yeonji, you know how I feel about you.”

“Do I?” I turned away from his touch, remembering the images I had just seen. Seeing him being intimate with Heejin would sting me for the rest of my life like a poison I had no cure for. 

“I care for you. That’s why I haven’t attacked my brother. I need to break your soulmate bond before I can hurt him, and you know I’ve been busy trying to find the solution,” Minseok said, his voice as gentle as it always had been. His words used to make my heart beat fast and my stomach flutter with excitement, but I wondered why it no longer carried such effects.

“Why did Sehun lie?”

“Perhaps because he knows how I feel about you.” Minseok dismissed my attempts to stay away and continued to pull me closer. He leaned forward, his lips a breath away. “I love you, Yeonji, and he doesn’t like me favoring you. That’s why he created this lie to make you doubt me.”

I pressed my lips, not knowing how to differentiate a lie from the truth. Hearing those words from Minseok had been my yearning. Hearing him deny Sehun’s accusation should’ve set my heart at ease. And when Minseok advanced to press his lips against me, I should’ve reciprocated him with an overwhelming amount of emotion. But as he touched me, I remembered him touching Heejin. When he kissed me, I remembered those very same lips on Heejin.

“How can you say you love me when you’ve been fooling around with my friend?” I finally asked, my body too tired to fight him off. I let him kiss me, but I didn’t kiss him back.

“Because that’s the way a vampire loves.”

Suddenly, I was reminded of my doubts and fears, about how easily I could be discarded when I no longer served a purpose. Both Baekhyun and Minseok were allowed to take consorts. They could have an affair with as many women as they wanted and it’d be the norm. Even Jihye continued to hold feelings for both Jongdae and Baekhyun. Heck, if I didn’t ask Baekhyun to stop seeing Jihye in exchange for my cooperation, I bet they would continue their affair. They’d sleep with each other, and I’d be the third party who would walk in on them in the same way I had interrupted Minseok and Heejin.

Vampires weren’t capable of loving others in the same way humans did. And for the first time that night, I felt an excruciating pain clenching my heart.

“I love you, Yeonji,” Minseok whispered, and his kisses began to trail from my lips to my neck, and lower to my chest where his cold finger had pulled down the hem of my bodice.

This was what I had always wanted—to be the object of his affection and the one who could please him beyond innocent kisses. But I kept wanting to push him off, and he kept holding me steady. I didn’t want this. 

“Stop,” I rasped, but the magic oozed into my body, halting me from protesting. My heart raced faster in panic and disbelief.

Was Minseok using his powers on me?

“Minseok, no…” I managed, unable to push him away when his cold hands slipped its way into my bodice, feeling me up where I didn’t want him to.

The door suddenly slammed open, and my chest heaved with relief at the interruption. The magic released me, but as I turned around and saw my savior, my heart sank. Baekhyun stood there, silently observing us, his expression deprived of any emotion.

There was a strange desire to explain to him that this wasn’t what it looked like. But I held back, remembering he wouldn’t have cared.

“Brother,” Baekhyun’s voice was grim and sinister. He used his power to create a metal chain around Minseok’s wrist, weighing him down and away from me. “Hands off my woman.”

I drew a breath, indulging myself in his words. Baekhyun protectively stood in front of me, immediately lacing my fingers with his. The small act had my heart racing, and I didn’t know whether it was because of his touch or because he had saved me again.

“Apologies, brother, but it was her who came to me,” Minseok said, the kind smile finding its way back to his face. “I was adhering to her needs since you failed to do.”

The corner of Baekhyun’s eyes twitched, and I could tell those words provoked him more than he meant to show. “Do not test my patience. If I see you touch her again, I might not be as lenient next time.”

With that, he pulled me out of the room. Our entire walk was silent, and I couldn’t help but fear for his anger. When we entered his room, he roughly pinned me against the wall and pressed himself against me.

“Did I not tell you to stay away from my brother?” He breathed through gritted teeth. “I hate seeing him touch you like that.”

I pressed my lips together, not knowing what to make out of his words. Was he worried? Was he jealous? Did I owe him an explanation? Should I have said that I preferred his touches instead?

Baekhyun grunted and released a deep breath. He grabbed me by the shoulder, desperation and frustration clawing into my skin.

“When you stopped me from kissing you in pursuit of the culprit who tried to poison me, was it just an excuse to fool around with my brother?”

“No, I—”

“How long have you known him?”

I blinked, confused where this came from. My mind tried to look for an excuse, but Baekhyun’s dark eyes were reeling me in. I was completely aware of his presence against me and drew a breath. 

“My brother isn’t one who would randomly kiss someone he has just met, meaning that your relationship goes all the way back, doesn’t it?”

I winced when he grabbed my hands, holding it steady against the wall. Honestly, everytime he displayed the intelligence, slyness, or skills an assassin was trained to have, it stimulated a desire for him.

“Don’t think I’ve never noticed the two of you sharing secret glances with each other, or the way your eyes follow him whenever he’s around,” Baekhyun said, his tone filled with a hint of desolace, the accusation at the tip of his lips. He looked me straight in the eye and outwardly questioned. “He’s the one you’re working for, isn’t he?”

I drew a breath. 

“The one who tried to kill me is Minseok, right?”


	22. Mercy

What was I supposed to do? My mind was instantly filled with numerous possibilities, and I quickly filtered through them for the right answer. I was skilled enough to use a diversion tactic and make him believe in my lie. 

“How did you even know I was in there?” I tried to change the topic.

“When I asked around, one of the guards saw you going in my brother’s room. I had a bad premonition and followed,” Baekhyun answered, his eyes narrowing on me. “I have answered your question, so now you answer mine. Was it my eldest brother who tried to kill me?”

“N-No,” I stuttered, surprised by my own hesitance. Everything I’ve learned about the subtle art of lying was broken by that meek reply. Maybe I furtively _wanted_ him to know the truth.

“You can lie better than that,” even Baekhyun said, scoffing at my poor attempt. Apparently I had built enough reputation for myself, and the fact he thought so highly of me was rather flattering.

“Fine,” I finally admitted. There was no point in lying or trying to protect Minseok—especially after seeing him with Heejin. “I work for your brother. It was him who ordered me to assassinate you.”

Baekhyun frowned, tossing my words over in his mind. I watched the frown sinking in his forehead, trying to come up with a plausible conclusion. “How long have you been working for him?”

How much should I tell him? We mutually trusted each other to a certain extent, and it was very easy for me to lead him off track. But a still small voice told me to get rid of any deception. So I let the truth flow out.

“He took me in when I was a child and trained me to become his assassin.”

“Ah, so he had been planning my death since decades ago,” Baekhyun said thoughtfully and grinned. “His plans must’ve gotten ruined considering the human he invested so much time in turned out to be my soulmate.”

“Hah!” I spat. My emotions got the better of me as the image of Minseok with Heejin burned in my mind. “That’s no longer an issue. He only sees me as a weapon.”

According to Sehun, he was commanded by Minseok to poison Baekhyun, but Minseok claimed he never gave such orders. I didn’t fully know whom to trust, but the scarring image of Minseok’s frolicking was enough to lean me towards Sehun’s words. I may be wrong, but a woman’s emotion was not to mess with.

“In fact, it was Minseok’s idea to threaten you by taking my own life. He knew of our soulmate bond back then, and I blindly obeyed his every order. If you hadn’t stopped me, we would’ve died,” I continued my ranting, chest heaving with an eerie realization as I recalled previous events. He had always put me in danger and made me risk my life.

“I do not doubt that,” Baekhyun said dryly. Strangely, he was invested in my stories despite the nonchalant front he put up.

“I mean, I know that humans are treated as slaves to you vampires, but knowing I no longer wanted to kill you, perhaps I was no longer useful to him. So he threw me away.”

Baekhyun’s lips turned into a frown, and I despised it.

“Do not look at me with such pity when you are no different from him! You claim me as your betrothed, but we both know it’s a charade to keep me from trying to hurt you. Well, I’m no longer interested in your head, so I guess you would discard me too. You don’t have to be wary of me any—”

I stopped talking and instinctively grabbed Baekhyun’s wrist the moment he raised his arm to... plunge a knife into my chest?

“What the hell, Baek?” 

“My soulmate would never parade her weakness like this. I thought someone had disguised themselves as you,” Baekhyun said with a lazy smile.

“So you decided to test out your theory by trying to _stab_ me?” I asked, incredulous.

“The real Yeonji would be able to block that.” Baekhyun twirled the knife between his fingers and made it disappear into thin air. “Besides, it was either stabbing you or something else.”

“What?” I challenged, putting a hand on my hip.

“You really wanna know?” His voice lowered as he turned to me with intrigue. The corner of his lips lifted with arrogance as he drew himself closer.

I pressed my lips together, wishing I had never challenged him at all. The cold of his body was entirely pressed against me. I tried to look away, but his lean fingers grabbed my chin, pulling me to face him.

“You’re weak for my touches,” he whispered against my lips, maintaining enough distance that he knew would frustrate me.

“T-That’s not true,” I stammered, swallowing my saliva. His mischievous red eyes reeled me in.

“Yeah? Then why do you never push me away, sweetheart?” He asked, the arrogant smirk appearing on his lush lips. My eyes dipped to them. A big mistake. I drew a breath, stopping myself from wanting to taste them.

I was about to argue my case, but remembering his previous advances, I couldn’t recall a time when I managed to break his spell. It was as if my body continuously gravitated toward him. There was a magnetic pull between us that my logic couldn’t prevent. I always let him kiss me. I wanted it to happen. I never pushed him away.

“Stop me.” He grinned, planting a soft, barely there kiss at the corner of my lips. “I dare you.”

The bastard continued to tease me, torturing me. He sucked at my lower lip, giving small nibbles. Then his tongue flicked out, giving the faintest caress across my lips. The alluring move had me grunt in frustration, knowing I was about to prove him right.

“Can’t do it, hm?” He asked, grinning victoriously.

Then he kissed me, rough and hard. He even had the audacity to release his hands from me, giving me all the freedom I needed to push him away. It really was that simple. I only needed to give him a small push. But the moment I moved my arms, they betrayed me by eagerly pulling him closer. He abode to my plea and kissed me harder. Whatever the soulmate bond was doing, it made me dizzy with desire. His kiss intoxicated me.

Then, in the midst of all my panting and arousal, he pulled away.

“Well, you have convinced me. You are my soulmate,” he spoke, proud to have proven his theory.

I tried to steady my breathing and calm my raging chest. My lips were probably swollen, and I glared at him for stopping our kiss, and for starting it in the first place.

“Now, let’s trace back to what you said,” Baekhyun said, conjuring a chair for himself to sit on as if he had not just stopped our steamy makeout session. He folded his legs and regarded me with amusement. “Why would you think I’d discard you?”

I frowned, caught offguard by the sudden question. I may have ranted too much and revealed too many of my insecurities, but I was more surprised by his willingness to address them.

“Because you look at me like I’m a monster,” I confessed, revealing another part of my vulnerability I hadn’t intended to expose. 

“A monster?”

“The day you asked me to kill some vampires at the council meeting, you looked at me as if I was an untamed beast.” I looked down at my feet, my hand nervously caressing the other. Baekhyun was right. It was unlike me to show my weakness, but even the strongest person wasn’t immune to feelings of insecurity.

Suddenly, Baekhyun emitted a low chuckle, twistedly amused by my worries.

“What are you laughing at?”

“You.” He grabbed my wrist and pulled me to sit on his lap. His hands linked around my waist, wrapping me closer. “You tried to kill me during our first night together, do you really think I wouldn’t know what kind of _monster_ you could be?”

I frowned harder, but the cold touch of his arms around me replaced my feelings of unease.

“If you think it would’ve bothered me, then you must not know me very well. I wouldn’t have made you my fiancee if I were truly appalled.” He grinned smugly as if he was speaking words of wisdom, but he was making a confession that made my heart race. His eyes softened as he peered into mine. “Choi Yeonji, I do not detest you. Not at all.”

The words made me feel warm all over, showering me with the kind of affection I had always longed for. My cheeks flustered into a soft rosy blush against my will. His gaze bore no malice, no pretension, no fear. I didn’t know until now how much that single look managed to assure me and calm me down.

“But… Why did you look like you were disappointed in me during the council meeting?” I still asked, hating the fragility in my voice, so close to breaking.

If I thought Baekhyun would sympathize after his gentle words, I’d been wrong. He cocked his head sideways, regarding me with amusement. “I didn’t know you valued my opinion so much, sweetheart.”

Neither did I, but I couldn’t think of any excuse.

“It wasn’t because of what you did,” he then spoke, and the earlier glint of mischief faded into the same forlorn look of that day. “But rather, because of what our system has turned into. I’m not fond of killing trespassers. They have wronged us, but perhaps they could change if given a second chance. My father won’t offer such opportunities. Showing mercy is a weakness to him.”

I stood perplexed, not expecting him to open up regarding his adversities. I recalled the night when he fell sick. He had confessed of killing several vampires to protect me, and even then, he wore the same desolate expression. He didn’t want to hurt his subjects in the same way I wanted to protect my people. 

My hands instinctively caressed the side of his cheek, guiding him to face me. He looked so defeated, enticing a sudden longing in me to comfort him.

“Maybe you were meant to become a king for this reason,” I said, leaning my head so that our foreheads would touch. “To change the system for the better. You could change their perspective and show that a good ruler could be merciful.”

Baekhyun leaned into my touch, and I found my thumb brushing his cold skin, hoping to give him the slightest bit of warmth I could offer. 

“I thought you wanted me to give up the throne.” He chuckled at my fickle heart.

“Maybe I changed my mind,” I said. “I promised you an alliance. Your enemies are my enemies. Your vision is mine as well.”

He grinned that arrogant smirk that sent sparks flying all over me and cupped my face. 

“In that case, sweetheart, my vision does not include discarding you,” he said, the words a gentle caress over my lips. “Cause I have no plans on finding another queen.”

Then, he kissed me.

***

The next day, I planned on visiting Sehun to settle things. I needed to know the truth and figure out whose words to believe in. Both he and Minseok said different things.

As I rounded the corner towards the underground chambers, many servants and guards flocked the opposite way. They had a look of distress on their face, filling me with a sudden unease.

“What’s going on?” I asked, grabbing one of the guards. My eyes widened in surprise when the guard turned out to be Chanyeol, and he looked equally surprised and terrified that it had been me.

“T-They’re about to have a public execution,” Chanyeol stammered, too afraid to meet my eyes.

“For whom?”

“A vampire.”

My hold on him loosened, unable to comprehend this revelation. Usually, humans were the ones who were humiliated through a public execution. The only time a vampire deserved such treatment was if they tried to kill a royal family member. 

My heart leaped faster. Panic surged in me. I let Chanyeol go and immediately followed the crowd, running to the outside gates of the palace where a massive number of people had gathered. 

I scurried my way through to the front seeing a humongous guillotine on a podium. And crouching with his head secured at the frame directly beneath the blade, was the high ranked general, Sehun.

My lips parted to say something, but no words appeared. My chest heaved with terror and confusion. What happened? What had Sehun done? Why would they want to murder and punish a general?

“Dear citizens,” a voice then appeared, and a shiver ran down my spine when Minseok walked to the podium. “It is known that months ago, someone had tried to poison the crown prince. This same individual then tried to punish the crown prince’s betrothed to death. An act against the royal family is deemed punishable by law.”

I frowned, waiting for Sehun to below a protest. But he did not move. His lips were sealed. In fact, it seemed magically sealed. A plea for mercy was written in his eyes, and as he met my gaze, my body moved on its own.

“Don’t.”

I was surprised at the cold hand reaching towards me, not expecting to see Jongdae holding me back.

“My brother is intent on killing the general. You shouldn’t stand in his way if you wish to live,” he warned.

“This makes no sense. If Sehun trespassed against _me_ , don’t _I_ have a say in this? Don’t I get to decide his punishment?” I asked. In the midst of panic, I scanned the crowned for Baekhyun. I spotted him at the other side of the crowd, accompanied by Jihye. My heart clenched a little, but more pressing matters required my attention. I turned to Jongdae for some answers.

“Not when Minseok has set his mind on it,” he said.

The fear in his voice was enough to make me cautious. If Jongdae, the one eager for blood, pain, and violence, was unwilling to see Sehun’s beheading, then something was very wrong here.

“Where is the king?”

“My father’s condition is worsening. No healer can treat him. He is resting in bed,” Jongdae answered, his tone unusually soft and worried, unlike the psycho I had come to know him as.

“Why does Minseok have the right to commit such acts?” I still asked, hearing the strain in my voice.

“Because Baekhyun refuses to lead a public execution. It was the one thing he swore not to do if he were to take up the throne. Since then, Minseok has taken over these punishment.”

My heart thudded an irregular rhythm, beating with panic and fear all at once. Baekhyun had always been merciful, choosing to spare a vampire whenever possible. I knew Minseok was always occupied with these punishments, but it never registered to me that he’d kill his own men.

“Maybe I can talk some sense into him,” I said, boldly striding forward toward Minseok. I did not care for the consequences. This was still the same man who professed his love for me. He was the man who practically raised me and made me into whom I was today. Surely he’d grant me a request.

“Minseok!”

But at once, I felt something weighing me down. I looked to see a chain tied between my ankles, preventing me from moving. Baekhyun’s power. I abruptly turned to him, and though Jihye was keeping him busy, his fervent gaze was on me, warning, pleading.

“By the power bestowed upon me by the king, High General Sehun shall be punished for the crime of attempted assasination.” Minseok had the decency to look the least bit guilty as he bowed his head. Then he motioned the executioner to proceed.

“No! Minseok, don’t do this!” I forced myself to move forward, but ended up tripping over my legs. I fell to the floor, and looked up at the time the blade was released. It was quick, swift, and supposed to be painless, but everything moved in slow motion before my eyes. As I pathetically laid on the ground, Sehun met my eyes, no longer pleading, but an abyss of hopelessness. He knew it was his end.

Then the blade fell, decapitating his head with a single pass, rolling it on the floor, right in front of me.

I thought I hated vampires. I thought I enjoyed killing them. I thought I’d delight seeing Sehun suffer. But seeing his severed head in front of me, tears began to spring out of my eyes. He may not have considered me a friend, but we grew alongside each other. He was my sparring partner. He was the one who acknowledged me as a rival despite being human. He was the one laughing at my idea to seduce Baekhyun but also complimenting me that it might work. He was someone I cared about. 

He was someone who deserved mercy.

Because when I looked at him in his final moments, I did not see the hurt he inflicted on me, but the memories of gladful tidings we once shared together. And that was how I wanted to remember him by.

“May you rest in peace,” Minseok announced, and the crowd murmured the same words back. He then ordered the guards to clean up the mess while he turned around to return to the palace.

I watched him go, the shadow of a foreign man. This wasn’t the man I fell in love with. Minseok was supposed to be gentle. He was supposed to be merciful. He was supposed to bring peace to our kind. But that was no longer the case.

Killing Sehun over such trivial matters seemed ridiculous. The king would not have let Sehun punish me if he knew he’d lose a high general. The facts didn’t add up. How could the king easily dispose of his best man? 

Unless the execution hadn’t been under his command. The old man’s absence during this crucial time was unusual—he was gone when Sehun needed him the most. Everything worked out for Minseok’s benefit. But why would the eldest prince kill one of his own assassins? Why _now_ , after Sehun managed to make me doubt Minseok’s actions?

I gasped, my mind shifting to obtain a single possible answer.

Because Minseok wanted to kill Baekhyun, even at my cost, and to ensure I wouldn’t discover his ulterior motive, he forced Sehun into eternal silence.


	23. Charade

Sehun’s death messed me up in more ways than I expected. For the past few days, I surrounded myself in books, notes, and possible details that I may have missed on the book I had taken from Minseok. Perhaps it was a way to cope with his loss, and perhaps because his death brought a sense of urgency. There was no time to properly mourn when I could be next.

The more I deciphered the text, the less I understood. The book contained olden fables and myths about vampires. Impaling a silver dagger into their chest would lead to their eternal damnation. Human blood consumption was essential to their survival. Too much blood has the chance of intoxicating them. Being the offspring of demons, they could call upon dark power to become stronger. Once their blood are consumed by a vampire, the victim’s body will become possessed.

Some part of the text sounded nonsensical, but there must be a reason why Minseok made the effort to translate these texts. Even Mira had declared these books as dangerous and forbidden. I couldn’t use my rational thinking and had to be open to the possibility that some of these ridiculous myths might be true.

The best way to confirm my suspicions was to ask Minseok directly, but after what had happened with Sehun, I feared for my own safety. He could kill me anytime. He no longer trusted me.

Unless I could convince him otherwise.

The shabby plan began to unfold in my head, and a shiver ran down my spine at the thought of what I had to do. Sacrifices needed to be made, even if Baekhyun wouldn’t like it.

If only Sehun were alive, I could interrogate him for more information. Perhaps I could’ve made him an ally. He was always one of the most proficient fighters, which earned him the position of a high general. It was a decoy, a disguise for one of Minseok’s man, but with his skills, I believe he had truly earned in.

I shook my head This was no time to mourn the death. If I truly cared for Sehun at all, I had all the more reason to do this. The only way to avenge him was to ruin Minseok’s plan.

With my mind made up, I headed to the door. But then I looked down at my attire, the usual gown that covered up all of my skin. If I were to try and convince Minseok, perhaps I had to wear something… more revealing.

I winced at myself for having conjured such thoughts and went back to change. None of my dresses were as appealing as Jihye’s low cut, cleavage parading gowns. So I opted for my tight assassin outfit that hugged all of my curves in the right places. Baekhyun liked it, so hopefully Minseok would too. Besides, seeing me in my old attire could evoke nostalgia.

I was ready to head out when the door opened. Baekhyun entered. He seemed surprised and immediately scanned me from head to toe, trailing a bit longer at the bust area. 

“What’s the occasion?” He asked, delaying a few seconds before leveling his gaze with mine.

“Training,” I lied, having thought of a plausible excuse beforehand. He would stop me if he knew my true intention.

“With whom?”

“The boars in the forest,” I shrugged. “No guards are willing to fight me after what happened at the council and you’re too busy to entertain me.”

“It’s not safe,” Baekhyun said, but before he managed to grab my hand, I thrusted a dagger to his neck, ensuring not to actually hurt him.

“You seem to have forgotten whom we’re talking about here.” I managed my most arrogant smirk. “Besides, we know that Minseok could kill me anytime. I need all the practice I can get to make up for the time I’ve been idle.”

Instead of holding me back, Baekhyun now took my hands, gently caressing it in ways that made my insides heat up. “I feel sorry for the boars.”

And despite the anxiety of having to face Minseok heads on, he made me laugh in a way that washed away my worries—for some part of it, at least.

“Be careful. We don’t want anything happening to the both of us before the coronation next week,” he then said, and I inwardly panicked.

Right. The coronation. The king’s health had been worsening ever since Sehun’s incident. He had never attended another council meeting, and rumors began to circulate that he might pass soon. It didn’t take long before Baekhyun was called, and the next thing I knew, he were to be crowned our new ruler next week.

Once Baekhyun got the crown, he’d be able to start a new era and become the merciful ruler. We only had to hold out for one more week. 

Not knowing how my encounter with Minseok will turn out, I unconsciously squeezed his hand. Baekhyun was the anchor holding me steady despite the storm of commotion going on in my head. 

Then I let go.

***

“Yeonji!”

I was no longer surprised to see Heejin exiting Minseok’s room. Spotting a brand new hickey on the other side of her neck didn’t leave me as devastated as I thought I’d be. Instead, I was fearful for her sake.

“Ooh, what are you wearing? I’ve never seen anything quite like it before,” she then said, curiously poking the material. Of course, no female was ever seen wearing anything but a gown. It was too scandalous.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said, too distracted to come up with another excuse. Seeing Heejin’s disheveled hair or the way her sleeve didn’t fully fit into her shoulder, it was easy to guess what had just happened inside.

“Heejin, are you still enamoured by the prince?” I took her aside, lowering my voice into a whisper. “Don’t you know what he did to Sehun?”

“I do. Isn’t it romantic?” She asked dreamily, almost twirling in her spot.

“Hah?”

“Minseok said he would protect and avenge me. Killing off that meanie Sehun was a payback for what he did to me,” Heejin spoke, every word making my fist itch to punch her back to reality. 

“You know Sehun was killed because he hurt _me_ , right?” I asked, repeating the decree Minseok had recited during the execution. Of course I had my own hypothesis regarding Sehun’s death, but Heejin wouldn’t understand.

“That’s what he got all of you to believe.” Heejin affectionately patted my head, smiling. “He told me that it was really to avenge me.”

I was too baffled to form a coherent response, listening to her misplaced giggles. Clearly, she was head over heels. 

“You know, hypothetically, if Minseok and I were to fall in the ocean, who would you save?” I posed the first question that popped into my head. I needed to know where she stood in terms of allegiance, even if it were through a stupid make-belief scenario.

“Prince Minseok, of course!” She giggled. “I love you, but I’m sure you’re strong enough to rescue yourself, Yeonji.”

I forced a smile on my face, trying to make it seem as genuine as possible despite knowing that I had lost an ally. It wasn’t Heejin’s fault. Minseok was a master deceiver. It had taken me years before I got to see his true face. I mentally made a promise to myself to help Heejin wake up from Minseok’s delusions some day.

“If you excuse me, I have an appointment with him.” I passed her and entered the room before she could question me any further.

Minseok was sitting at his desk, reading over some books. Seeing me, he quickly shoved the book aside and leaned his arms in front of it.

“What a pleasant surprise!” He greeted, his voice as steady and gentle as usual. Then his eyes did a quick take on my attire, and I saw an eyebrow tilt with interest. “Why are you dressed as my assassin?”

I had to play my cards right. As far as he knew, I had refused his kisses. He would suspect me of allying myself with Baekhyun.

“Because I _am_ your assassin,” I proclaimed, stepping closer to his desk. I shouldn’t make it seem too forceful or furious, or else he would suspect me. “I was about to go train in the forest. Being idle for too long wouldn’t be favorable if I were to kill the crown prince.”

“Ah, how delightful. Lately I had the feeling that you have begun to side with my brother,” Minseok said, and I immediately knew which incident brought on such suspicion. As I thought, my rejection to his physical advances became a problem.

I smirked and shifted my weight to my other feet, hoping it exuded feigned confidence. “Seems I even got you fooled. Doesn’t that show how well I’ve performed?”

Minseok pushed his lips into a small pout, a small gesture I used to think was adorable once upon a time. Now, I was hoping it indicated his regained trust for me. I needed to show my worth.

“Baekhyun cares for me. Might even be in love with me,” I openly stated, trying to take everything I’ve observed about him to make this a convincing lie. “You saw how he stopped the whipping to save me. He refused to leave me on my own and stayed by my side in my time of need. The way he touches me makes me feel as if he really wants me…”

I noticed the strain in my own voice as I trailed on. Each recollection had my heart thud faster, and I prayed that my bashfulness did not show on my face. Baekhyun cared for me because we were tied together—I can’t bring myself to think of it otherwise.

“And what about you?” Minseok asked. “Do you love him?”

“No! I love _you_.”

And out of every lie I’ve said that night, this was the biggest one. 

The feelings I once had for him were completely gone. Maybe they had been for a while. Even when I saw him with Heejin, it didn’t hurt as much as it ought to. There was a sense of betrayal, but my chest didn’t hurt as much as the sight of Baekhyun and Jihye.

Huh.

“Are you, truly?” Minseok interrupted my thoughts, and I looked up with a gasp. “The last time we met, you refused to kiss me.”

This was not the time to think about whom my heart wanted. I had to fully immerse myself in this role. 

“You were with Heejin. You kissed her.” I channelled the same frustration and discomfort of seeing my soulmate with another woman, making my chest heave faster, and my fingers clench into a fist. “I was jealous. I didn’t know how a vampire loves and wanted you for my own.”

Minseok raised an eyebrow at me, waiting.

“But I’m done thinking,” I declared, “and I know that I still want you.”

To make a stronger statement, I marched to his desk, knelt on top of it, and bent down to—God, save me—kiss him on the lips. I could not show my reluctance. I needed this to be believable. So the wickedness in me imagined I was kissing my soulmate instead.

The surprise in his stiff lips slowly began to move along with mine, completely unsynchronized, too dominating, biting me until I tasted the faint hint of blood. Since the last time we kissed, he sure had a lot of practice with Heejin.

“You’re delicious,” he whispered, and I honestly didn’t expect him to be the type to talk dirty. Was this how he talked when he frolicked with Heejin? I had to push the thought away and kiss him harder. It was just another mission. Make. This. Convincing.

“I know you killed Sehun for my sake,” I said, lowering myself into his lap, my whole body facing him. I tangled my arms around his neck and between his hair, kissing with more vigor and eagerness. “I know you love me.”

“I do,” he grunted, and God, I wanted to drag my dagger from the hole of his mouth, tearing it all the way open to his ears. He was openly lying to both me and Heejin.

“You’re going to become king,” I forged a moan, my hands roaming all over his body with no clear aim. It made him go wild. “And I’ll be your queen.”

“Yes.”

His hands were starting to linger in dangerous territory, and I had no way to steer him away without making it seem suspicious. So I swallowed my disgust as he groped my breasts, bringing his lips to peck the soft skin revealed through my clothes. 

“What will be our decree?”

“To preserve humanity,” he spoke quickly, distracted by his feral desires. 

I looked at him sadly. I used to hold on to this statement, making it my own vision. But he was all words and no action. How could he stand up for humanity when he failed to stand up for Heejin when she was about to get whipped?

He was cruel and merciless, as I had seen when he beheaded Sehun. He may put up the charade as the gentle and peace loving prince among the three brothers, but I noticed the murderous glint in his eyes as his gaze flickered to Baekhyun during the execution, as if saying that he’d be next.

My mind was set on the mission. I needed to collect more information and coincidentally caught a glimpse of the paper stacked up on his desk. More clues. I needed to turn around to scan them.

“Minseok, I…” I gulped down my pride, holding in my bile. “I want you from behind.”

I watched the lust settling in his gaze as he pulled away from me. With desperate eagerness, he helped me off his lap. He pushed me against the table and used a hand to hold me down. He needed some time trying to undo my outfit, but I felt his fingers working fast. I needed to work even faster.

I let out occasional lewd moans to keep him occupied, but my hands moved to his book. I had never seen it in the library, meaning he had probably kept it to himself this entire time. My mind had already gotten accustomed to the actual fae language and the deciphered fae language code. Surprisingly, I managed to read the book, easily switching between the two languages where it made more sense.

This book was written using the coded language. It listed the various blood types found in different living organisms, and mentioned a rare blood type that could only be found in some humans. It was called the eximius.

“Wait!” I yelled when I felt Minseok lowering my panties. I quickly got up on my feet and faced him, the panic and reluctance written all over my face. I needed an excuse—any excuse.

“I-It’s that time of the month.”

The lust in his face fell, and I inwardly facepalmed. Out of every possible excuse available, I just had to go with the one that would turn him off the most. I supposed it was influenced by my reading about blood.

To my surprise, Minseok chuckled a hearty laugh. I remembered taking delight in being the reason for his laughter, but such feelings could no longer be conjured.

“I understand. I won’t do anything further.” He raised his hands in playful surrender. It was almost as if he had gone back to the Minseok I used to know. “So what’s our plan?”

“I was hoping you had one,” I said as casual as possible, hoping he’d make a faux pas and reveal his plan to me. But Minseok was smart and wouldn’t play into my hands that easily. Maybe I could lead him on. “The coronation is next week. We need to do something before they crown him king.”

“That is true. We have a week at most,” Minseok said and smiled at me. Clearly, he was still wary of me. Perhaps we were both playing a charade, trying our best to fit into the people we were months ago.

“I’ll be waiting for your orders then,” I said. 

Minseok nodded, and I curtsied a little to take my leave. I hadn’t reached the door when he suddenly called for my name, and I desperately hoped he’d changed his mind.

“The plan is to break your soulmate bond,” he revealed.

I blinked. Didn’t he want Baekhyun dead no matter what happened to me? This went against my theory. I didn’t expect him to show the slightest bit of concern. It caught me off guard.

“H-Have you found a cure?” I asked, genuine disbelief flowing in my voice.

“I have.” He gently smiled in a way that used to melt me. “It is a potion. We’re in the process of creating it. And when it’s done, it only needs a drop of your blood to complete it.”

“M-My blood?”

“Your blood is a precious thing.” Minseok smiled.

I swallowed, hearing my heart drum in my ears. I didn’t know what to believe. Was it true, or was it another ploy? Based on my previous readings, a vampire would possess the body of whomever they consumed blood from. Was Minseok planning to possess me? 

But what if the potion was real and it could break my bond with Baekhyun? Didn’t I want that? For the sake of his safety?

“It should be ready before the coronation,” Minseok said, approaching me to caress my cheek. “And then you, my beloved assassin, will finish your mission and kill him.”


	24. Conclave

“Eximius?” Mira’s eyes narrowed on me. “How do you know about that?”

Judging on the discomfort written on her face, it seemed I was on the right track with my research. Everyday while Baekhyun was out preparing for the coronation, I drowned myself in the library, dedicating my time to learn more. Then it occured to me that the best way was to ask the prophetess. If someone ought to know about it, it should be her.

“I read it in a book,” I answered, batting my eyelashes as cluelessly as possible.

“Well, then you’re reading the wrong type of books. You ought to stay away from them,” Mira said sternly. Previously, she heeded the same warning to Minseok. Her reluctance to talk made me more determined.

“You must know more about this eximius. What is it?” I pressed on.

“I do not know much about it, except that in the past, it was used as a weapon of mass destruction. It was so dangerous that the vampires sought out to kill every single person who bears an eximius to the point of extinction,” Mira said. She anxiously glanced around her, as if speaking of a taboo subject could get her arrested and sentenced to death. 

The extinction would explain why no one had ever heard of it again. But the fact that Minseok was studying it meant that somehow, someone must’ve survived with it. 

“What exactly is an eximius?” 

“It is hidden within one’s blood,” Mira answered. She then shut her eyes and shook her eyes. “That is all I know, but it’d be best not to pursue this topic any further, Yeonji.”

I nodded half-heartedly, but my mind was busy conjuring different possibilities. Eximius was hidden in the blood, but was also used as a weapon of mass destruction. What exactly was it? Was it a tool developed by demons? Could it be taken? In what way did it pose danger? Was it only carried by humans? Were any of these information even true?

I grunted a little and massaged my temple. Hearing Mira’s information was helpful, but also brought me back to square one. The possibilities were endless and I didn’t know which theory to believe in. I needed more clues, but none of the books in the library contained the information I needed. Whom else could I ask for help?

“Your Highness,” a voice said, and I immediately straightened myself, wondering which of the three princes would walk through the library entrance. But the voice coughed and tried once more. “Your Highness.”

I unsurely turned sideways, seeing the guard Park Chanyeol standing at rest besides me. He looked less than amused to come in such close proximity to me. Chanyeol wasn’t a master at stealth and yet I had failed to notice his presence. The entire eximius fiasco made me lose my guard.

“Your Highness,” Chanyeol tried again, and I finally realized he was addressing me. The title was unfamiliar considering I was neither born into royalty nor wed to a prince.

“Yes?” I managed to compose myself, giving him the arrogant, all mighty attitude I had learned from Baekhyun. I only needed to tilt my chin, droop my eyes a little, and suddenly everyone seemed beneath me.

Chanyeol flinched and gulped down his saliva, probably reminiscing the way I had smashed his face to the floor. “The king requests your audience.”

I blinked, then narrowed my eyes at him. “For whatever reason?” 

“Confidential information is not relaid to me, Your Highness.”

My eyebrows were still furrowed. Why would the king want to see me after he encouraged whipping me in front of subjects? I did not trust the king any more than I trusted Minseok.

“It’d be rude to keep a king waiting. Could even result in a death sentence,” Mira reminded me of the vampire’s petty law. The smallest trespass was blown into a big ordeal. Seeing how the king was keen on getting rid of me, it’d be best not to provoke him.

I got up and followed Chanyeol. “Take me to him.”

***

The king’s chamber was located at the highest tower, the perfect location for a conclave. We had gone over at least two hundred flight of stairs before a small hallway came in sight. I wondered how the king managed to get up here, but realized someone must’ve been able to control flight or gravity to carry him up.

“Before we enter, I must search you to ensure you are no threat to the king,” Chanyeol said, the chide clear in his tone.

“But what if the king is a threat to _me_?” I feigned a distressed plea.

“I doubt it.” Chanyeol scoffed as he removed his gloves. He hovered his hands before me, swaying to every inch of my body without actually touching me. 

“What are you doing?” I slapped his hand away on instinct when he reached my chest.

“Don’t worry, I have no interest in violating you,” Chanyeol said, as if the mere possibility was an insult to him. “I can detect weapons or potential items that could pose as danger.”

I lifted an eyebrow, not knowing whether this gift was helpful or utterly useless. Then I thought of Mira’s words, describing the eximius as a mass weapon of distraction. Could he detect it too?

“Say, if someone were to hide a weapon in like… their body, like their blood… Could you detect it too?” I asked, not really sure I was even asking the right question. It was hard to get specific when I wasn’t sure what I was looking for.

“I don’t know how someone could hide something in their blood. Your question is illogical,” Chanyeol said, crouching down to check my legs. “Besides, my power is to manipulate steel, thus allowing me to detect hidden daggers and swords.”

I raised an eyebrow. Seemed like his abilities wasn’t that useless after all.

“Like this,” he continued, pointing at my thigh where I had indeed, strapped my weapon around my leg.

I rolled my eyes, abandoning modesty when I lifted my gown up—to which he averted his eyes at—and unstrapped the dagger from its sheath. I pushed it in his hand.

“Make sure not to lose it. I will kill you if you do,” I threatened, and the intimidation in my voice must have reminded him of the other day. He shivered in response and nodded like an obedient puppy.

“Y-You may proceed,” Chanyeol stammered as he knocked on the door twice before letting me in. Then he closed it, leaving me alone with the royal majesty in his sickbed, ready to begin our conclave.

“The mortal woman, you have come,” the king groaned and coughed. His condition seemed to have worsened in the past few days I hadn’t encountered him. The last thing I remembered was him offering me a deal to take the punishment in Heejin’s place.

“The vampire king, you are ill,” I reciprocated, carefully threading my way into his room. I was unarmed and cautiously kept my eyes around the room to disarm any potential ambuses. Not knowing his power put me on edge, even if he seemed too weak to use any power at all.

The interior was different from the princes’ room, almost as if this chamber belonged to another era altogether. While his sons crafted their chambers with expensive marbles and smooth ceramics, the king’s was a humble interior made out of wood. It lacked the luxury and grandeur of a high ruler.

“I am ill, indeed, and I fear I won’t have much time left to live,” he spoke, coughing some more.

As I approached his bed, I watched past the curtains to see the fragile old man in bed. In mere weeks, the color had drained from his face. Rimples and flecks decorated his face as if he had aged a few more decades, though in a way, he still radiated a glow like any vampire would. I was conflicted whether I wanted him dead or alive.

“Why have you requested my presence? Do you wish for me to kill you right now and relieve you of your suffering?” I offered. Had he not been weak in bed, this rude remark would’ve cost me my head.

The king, cruel and wicked in his own way, surprisingly chuckled at my words instead. “No, mortal. I have requested an audience because Baekhyun is about to be crowned king and I need you to be prepared for your role as the queen.”

I blinked, feeling my insides churning. This, I had not expected. Considering how foul he had treated me, I did not think he would assent to my position.

“You want me to rule by Baekhyun’s side?” I asked, baffled.

“I do not,” he relaid honestly, surprising me. “But Baekhyun himself has requested to be graced with your companionship if he were to become king.”

_“My vision does not include discarding you, cause I have no plans on finding another queen.”_

My chest warmed up at the memory of his words. Baekhyun never used his eloquence to utter a single lie. Even when he proclaimed he wanted me by his side, it had been the full truth. But to know he had made such negotiations with the king, I felt myself melting all over again.

“When I inquired the reason for such a ridiculous request, he simply told me the truth,” the king continued, panting groggily through his mouth. “You are his soulmate.”

My eyes darkened at once. “You must think it’s a weakness.”

“On the contrary, I think it’s a strength,” the king’s words surprised me again. “No mortal is designed to endure twenty lashes. I admit I did not care if you’d end up dead afterwards.”

Well, that was one thing this family had in common. The king and both his three sons all tried to kill me at one point or another. And I took a little pride in the fact that I escaped every single time.

“But because of your bond, Baekhyun endured a portion of your pain. It is for that reason that you’re still alive.”

I frowned, looking dumbstruck at the king who had closed his eyes. I thought Baekhyun simply felt the same pain I was feeling—it never occured to me that we _shared_ the pain, thus increasing both our endurance. Out of the twenty lashes I received, perhaps Baekhyun bore the weight of ten, which explained why a mortal like me managed to survive.

I remembered Mira saying that I had become the source of Baekhyun’s strength and that he was going to become more powerful than he already was. Was this what she meant?

“When someone hurts Baekhyun, you shall also bear a portion of his agony,” the king continued. “You will survive by protecting each other.”

“Did you rule alongside the late queen in the same manner?” I asked, wondering if he were speaking based on experience. “Was she your soulmate?”

“No, she was not. It is for that reason that I remain here after her passing,” the king explained. “Not everyone has been gifted a soulmate, and even fewer are blessed to meet them. If you are truly Baekhyun’s soulmate, you must be grateful for the encounter. There is no greater strength than your bond.”

I thought of Minseok’s potion to break off the soulmate bond and wondered whether he knew about this. Maybe it wasn’t about the blood or possibly possessing my body. What if his desire to help me was an excuse to weaken Baekhyun? Because with me in the way, Baekhyun wore an additional set of armor he couldn’t penetrate through. He needed to get rid of me first.

“As the queen, you have one main task.” The king coughed again, his shoulders bouncing into the pillow. I winced and hesitated going over to help, but I doubt he trusted me.

“Please,” he then muttered, reaching out to clasp my hands in his larger ones. “Take care of Baekhyun.”

“That’s it?” I asked, expecting some final words of wisdom. Then again, the king was known for his boring speeches. His lack of eloquence was evident in this anti-climatic final message.

“Ever since you appeared, Baekhyun has changed. He no longer parties or sleeps around with random strangers. I’d like to believe that he has matured into the role of a future ruler and has begun to care for this kingdom,” the king spoke earnestly, and I sensed his gaze softening as he spoke of his son. “If he owes these changes to you, then I am eternally grateful. He does, after all, cherishes you more than he would care to admit.”

I didn’t know how to react to that. Days ago, he had tried to kill me. Now, he was professing a gratitude I did not deserve and of Baekhyun’s affection he ought to have no knowledge about.

“I don’t think you owe me anything,” I said quietly. “Baekhyun has always cared for his people, more so than any of his predecessors did.”

Minseok had taught me enough about the royal vampire line to instigate a burning hatred within me. He emphasized on the ruler’s lack of sympathy towards the human slaves. Back then, even vampires were treated as slaves. It used to satisfy me, but due to Baekhyun’s words, my perception changed. If I wanted true equality between our kinds, I had to take asunder my loathing.

“Baekhyun will become a ruler who knows how to bestow mercy upon his subjects. He will fairly determine the weight of each treason committed against the law and punish them accordingly. He is willing to give his people a second chance,” I couldn’t control the words flowing from my mouth. This was a cause I strongly believed in.

“A second chance?” As soon as the king raised his voice, he coughed. I watched the wrinkles of disagreement press on his forehead. “What good will it bring to bestow mercy? Only a weak and incapable ruler will choose to do so.”

“Perhaps if you stop imposing your will on him, you will be able to see that Baekhyun knows what is best for this kingdom. He understands people’s needs and wants. Don’t expect him to live in your shadows when stepping out of it will lead him to do greater things.” I continued fighting for this new vision. “Besides, a ruler who knows how to show mercy will gain the loyalty of his people.”

The king’s mouth hung agape, watching me with disbelief. No one had probably ever dared crossing the line and spoken to him in such a crude manner. 

“And what if those people betray us?” He asked.

“Then I shall personally cut their heads off,” I said, because again, between me and my soulmate, I was the monster. And Baekhyun was perfectly content with that. 

Judging on the king’s barely there smile, he either came to terms with the idea or had no strength left to fight. He strained his eyelids, resisting the urge to close then. His fingers twitched against the bed, but he could barely lift his arms from the bed. “You are an excellent fighter, that I admit.”

The sudden compliment curved my lips into a reluctant proud smile. Baekhyun’s intention to parade my skills had been successful.

“However, I doubt you could fight off my eldest son.”

I scrunched my eyebrows, immediately alerted. Unconsciously, I headed over to the king’s side and knelt down to his eye level.

“He has always wanted the throne, and he has never failed to attain what he sets his eyes on.”

My eyes twitched at this revelation. I knew Minseok couldn’t be trusted, but hearing the same warning uttered by his own father instigated a new sense of danger. It made me wonder what Minseok had done to earn such a reputation in his father’s eyes.

“No matter what happens, promise me that you will do whatever it takes for Baekhyun to be king,” he said.

I bowed my head. This was one thing we both agreed on. 

“I promise.” 

***

When I exited the king’s chamber, I did not expect to find Jihye there instead of Chanyeol. The elegance of her dress made quite a picturesque view, and I hated how beautiful she looked even if her pink lips were mashed into a pout, her long braids were starting to loosen, and her elaborate magenta dress wrinkled while she crouched down on the floor.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, gaining her immediate attention.

“Eavesdropping,” she said, getting up on her feet. She dusted off her dress, somehow making the regular movement look like a graceful dance.

“Ah, so you must’ve heard that the king favors me as Baekhyun’s queen,” I provoked, tilting my head in a condescending manner to look down on her. “After your heroic proclamation to leave Jongdae and steal my title as the queen, you have been no threat to me.”

For once, Jihye did not take my bait. She did not even reciprocate my words, looking at the residues of dust collected at the bottom of her gown instead

“I’ve heard what you said,” Jihye then spoke, fingers fiddling together. “You are Baekhyun’s soulmate.”

My arrogance ended where my panic started. Jihye was an enemy. Knowing I was Baekhyun’s soulmate could easily be used against us. The king may have pointed out its strength, but I was more aware of its weakness.

“I remembered Baekhyun mentioning it before, but I never reckoned he was talking about you, a mortal! This entire situation is ridiculous; a vampire and mortal can’t be soulmates,” Jihye soliloquized, scratching the tip of her long nails in frantic motions. “But it is starting to make sense. The only reason Baekhyun wants to be with you is because he’s forced to. He doesn’t love you, and he never would. I could become his concubine even if you take the place as a queen. He loves me.”

“His feelings are the least of my worries. The only thing I care about is seeing the crown on Baekhyun’s head as he’s proclaimed the king of Addrelida.”

I stepped closer, watching her gulp in fear. If only I had my dagger, I’d use it to evoke more fear from her pretty face.

“And I swear, I will kill every single person who stands in the way of his coronation. Capice?”

Jihye silently nodded as I patted her rosy cheeks. Then I made my way to descend the stairs, ready to find Baekhyun and relay the dangers awaiting him when Jihye suddenly yelled.

“Why do you pretend as if you don’t care for his feelings? You wouldn’t go to this extent if he didn’t matter to you. You love him, don’t you?”

I exhaled a deep breath and looked at her over my shoulders. “And if I do, what will you do about it?”

Jihye inhaled a sharp breath, not expecting me to go along with her accusations instead of denying them. She was left dumbfounded, robbed off any comeback. And truthfully, I was just as surprised, expecting myself to deny her claims as well.

But as I continued descending the stairs, no such denial escaped my lips.


	25. Coronation

I stared at my own reflection in the mirror, meeting the gaze of someone who perfectly concealed her own fears and worries in exchange for a poised demeanor. No single hint of amusement twinkled in my eyes as I sat perfectly still, letting Heejin work on me before the coronation ceremony.

Minseok hadn’t requested my presence ever since our last rendezvous. I was left in the dark regarding his schemes, but knew he was planning an attack for today. It was his final chance to steal the throne before Baekhyun would officially be crowned king.

“Has Minseok mentioned anything about today’s coronation?” I asked, desperately clawing out small crumbs of information in places where I doubted to find them.

“He said it will be a spectacular day. Great things will happen for us humans,” Heejin sang in her usual cheerful mien.

As expected, nothing. Mira used to say that great things would follow me, but I wasn’t too confident of that. They’d attack Baekhyun today, and if I didn’t protect him, we could both wind up dead.

“Done!” Heejin interrupted my thoughts. She stepped back to admire her work and nodded in satisfaction.

It was then that I stopped looking at the emotions written in my eyes, but at my appearance as a whole. I was a completely different person. My skin shimmered akin to the ethereal beauty of a vampire. My eyes were lined using dark kohl, smudged into perfection that resembled Baekhyun’s. My lips were painted as red as the rubies of a vampire’s eyes. 

Even my medium length hair was styled into a french braid, held together by golden ornaments at the side. The color matched the red gown I wore, majestic, sophisticated, and powerful. The upper part of the bodice was covered with a soft, white, furry coat. Three golden chains connected from the left and right, cascading into layers of curtained decoration. The end of my trumpet sleeves were embellished by the same material.

I looked every bit like a regal queen.

“You work wonders, Heejin,” I said earnestly, taking her hand into mine. “When Baekhyun is king, he’ll change everything for the better.”

Her wide smile faded at once. “Do you really think he would do that?”

“I do.”

A knock on the door appeared then, and when Heejin went to answer it, I heard her stifle a coy giggle. There was only one person who could evoke such a reaction from her.

I got up from my seat, standing tall as my eyes fell on Minseok.

“Yeonji,” he greeted, doing a double take on my changed appearance. The surprise and awe unhinged his jaw into an openmouthed smile. “You look absolutely breathtaking.”

I smirked grimly. Empty words. Meaningless compliments. How was I foolish enough to fall for them in the past? What used to set my heart ablaze meant naught to me now.

“Have you come to propose a plan?” I asked, straight to the point.

“Perhaps.” Minseok smiled gently as he sauntered into the room, dismissing Heejin along the way. She immediately obeyed and left the two of us alone. “Your only task is to drink this.”

He retrieved a small vial containing a deep red colored liquid inside. There was a faint chemical smell that didn’t resemble any other scent I knew of. It was neither poison nor medicine. I immediately understood it was the potion to break my soulmate bond, one of its kind.

“After I add a drop of my blood?” I took the vial from his fingers. 

“Yes. I believe you have the necessary tools to do it,” Minseok spoke carefully, and it almost made me laugh. He expected me to extract my blood by stabbing myself, and months ago, I’d be stupid enough to follow through. I wondered whether having a speck of my drop could truly allow him to possess me. Was it even possible, or was it another myth?

“Baekhyun will be meeting me here. To lessen any possible suspicions, it’d be best if you leave first,” I said, sounding rushed yet calculative.

“Right.” Minseok eyed the vial in my hand, beckoning me to follow his gaze. “Don’t forget to consume it, Yeonji. For your own safety.”

“Of course.” I mustered a fake smile and held the vial up like proposing a toast. When Minseok left, I wiped the smile off my face and studied the potion. What a dangerous thing. If I drink this, Baekhyun would become more vulnerable. He already had a lot on his mind and didn’t need an additional worry to add up to it. So I quickly stored the vial in the sheath with my dagger.

Right then, the door swung open and this time my soulmate emerged.

“I saw my brother depart from this room. Are you alright? What has he done?” He immediately bellowed, surveilling the room for anything out of the ordinary. Then his eyes fell on me, and I could physically see the surprise sinking on his face, forgetting all about his earlier worries. His eyes lingered on every single one of my feature, appreciating the transformation, taking delight in the woman who would stand beside him, and his smile only grew wider by the second.

“I’m fine,” I said, having done my share of ogling as well. Baekhyun was dressed like a king without his crown. The dark red mantel, lined with the same white speckled fur, was a perfect replica of mine. It reached the top of his knees, giving off the image of a person with power and authority. Underneath, he wore a navy blue shirt decorated with circular golden ornaments to complete his look. His visuals set my feelings on a rampage.

“Choi Yeonji, you look every bit the woman worthy enough to stand by my side,” he said, taking my hands in his.

I scoffed out loud, hoping it would help conceal the way his impish smile and honest words had my heart going berserk. “Anyone could wear this gown and be polished to look like this.”

“But I wouldn’t accept just about anyone,” Baekhyun said, slipping a hand around my waist as he skillfully pulled me closer. “I specifically meant you, sweetheart.”

I pressed my lips together and looked away, trying my hardest to resist the urge from kissing him. After my exchange with Jihye, I became painfully aware of my reactions whenever I was with him. The way he made my heart dance was a clear sign I had harbored unwanted feelings for him for some time.

I needed to distract my own thoughts and mindlessly began to play with the fur of his mantel, feeling the soft texture brushing through my fingers. “How do you feel?”

“Uncanny.”

“Uncanny?”

“Yes, because years ago, I had done my utmost best to avoid seeing this day come. Despite my mother’s wishes, I desperately didn’t want to rule.”

“Is that why you hosted wild parties and earned a reputation for sleeping with girls? To taint your own image?” I teased.

His hand mindlessly began to trail over mine, tracing nonsense symbols around my skin. I hitched a breath, too aware of his cold touch that held me as if it was the most normal thing to do in the world.

“A forged reputation,” he corrected. “I’ve never slept with them.”

“You haven’t?” The shock in my tone may have sounded a bit too delighted.

“I played the role of the irresponsible, debauched prince in the hope it would deny me the throne. I offered the girls a second meeting in exchange for their silence, and thus, my reputation was preserved,” he explained, smirking at me. 

“You wicked man,” I said, but my lips refused to cease grinning like a lovestruck fool.

“Does that revelation delight you that much, sweetheart?” Baekhyun was quick to take notice. “I’ve never touched anyone the way I wish to touch you right now.”

His words made my cheeks flush and my body heat up in places I wished it wouldn’t. “What about Jihye?”

I realized then that I had made a mistake. The smirk settling on his face was arrogant, proud, brimming with satisfaction, and too handsome for his own good.

“We kissed, but that’s all.” He linked our fingers together and leaned closer. “I never thought I’d be able to see you this jealous. It’s quite adorable.”

“Stop talking nonsense. You are about to be crowned king,” I reminded both him and myself. I drew another breath, calming myself. 

“After the coronation is over, I will wed you, and when you are my wife, I shall do to you as I please,” he sang, litting my uncontrollable yearnings. He probably did this on purpose, enjoying seeing me suffer.

“What makes you think I won’t have you tied up first?” I replied, meaning for it to be threatening, but as a fan of bondage, he looked rather intrigued by the idea. I shook my head and patted his chest. “It‘s time to adhere to your royal duty. We can decide what happens after you’ve been crowned.”

At once, he seemed to understand that whatever playfulness we had been sharing was the brief calm before the storm. I hoped I had relieved him of his worries—enough to prepare him for the upcoming battle ahead.

***

Once we arrived at the dining hall, Chanyeol informed us that every guest had arrived. Being the last ones to enter helped us make a statement in our grand entrance.

“The crown prince of Addrelida, Baekhyun, and his betrothed, Yeonji,” Chanyeol announced out loud.

Every guests got up on their feet, but neither applauded or muttered a greeting. Their red eyes followed us as we made our way to the front. The silence seemed rather foreboding, and I swallowed the shivers running through my body. Looking at the subjects, I realized there were numerous vampires I had never seen before.

“They are royal families from neighboring kingdom,” Baekhyun whispered in my ear. “Each are invited to witness the coronation.”

I nodded carefully. It never occured to me that we weren’t the only kingdom in the world, but the land of Addrelida was vast and wide. There hadn’t been a visit from any other kingdom in the last few decades, thus giving the impression of our solitude. I wondered how things operated in other kingdoms. Did they treat humans as slaves or had there been a favorable progress?

The seats were arranged in the usual layout I had come to get used to. The king sat at the biggest throne at the center of the podium, looking rather blanched and exhausted before the coronation had even begun. The two seats on his right hand side were reserved for me and Baekhyun. On the left, Minseok and Jongdae were properly seated. Jihye was present too in the first row, surrounded by other advisors. She did not look pleased to see me linking arms with Baekhyun.

Minseok flashed me a knowing smile and I smiled back, pretending my allegiance. At this point, there were many possibilities to how he would take the crown. He had enough armies to ambush us with. He was close ranged enough to go for a direct assault. Whatever it was, I was ready for it.

“Today is a special day for Addrelida. The time for my rule has passed and shall be granted to my second born son, Baekhyun,” the king bellowed, managing his voice to sound as grand and mighty as he could muster. Even so, I could still detect the strain and weakness from our private meeting.

I watched Minseok from my peripheral vision, seeing the smile intact despite the king’s emphasis on the word ‘second born.’ People would wonder why he, the first born, wasn’t the righteous heir to the crown. Such questions never lingered in my mind before, but now I began to wonder why he had been denied the throne in the first place.

“Let us begin the ritual,” the king commanded, cueing someone to come over. 

I was surprised to see Mira appear before us wearing a loose satin gown that resembled a mythological deity. At the side of her curled hair was a half crown made up of olive branches. She looked like a walking mystery, maintaining her composure despite registering my astonishment.

“Prince Baekhyun, second born to the high king, and heir to the throne, please step forward to begin the coronation process,” Mira’s usual soft voice echoed through the hall with surprising volume.

Baekhyun got up on his feet, descending the stairs to stand before the king’s throne, facing his subjects and honored guests. My eyes flickered back to Minseok, anticipating any suspicious activity. But he remained idle in his seat, smiling at Baekhyun like the supportive older brother he was not. I grew more uneasy.

“Prince Baekhyun, do you accept the position to become king of Addrelida? To rule over your subjects according to the laws and regulations set by your predecessors? To protect your kingdom with wisdom, honor, and authority?” Mira asked.

“I do.”

Mira proceeded to take a branch of fig leaves in one hand, dipping it in a jar of oil in her other hand. She circled Baekhyun, sprinkling the mist upon him while chanting an unknown hymn.

“Let this water symbolize the covenant between the king and his kingdom, a ruler and his people,” Mira spoke, and everyone in the hall murmured an echo of her words. 

Nothing happened so far and I stole another glance at Minseok. Was he even planning an attack? Wasn’t this be the perfect moment to stop the coronation? Why was he sitting still? Unless he had someone else do the dirty deed for him. I immediately surveilled any hidden corners of the room where an archer could take aim from. Then I sorted through suspicious looking guest who could throw a weapon from afar. But no matter where I looked, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

“If anyone is against this enthronement, speak now, or forever hold your silence,” Mira then bellowed, nearly finishing the ritual.

My heartbeat rang in my ears. Could this be it? Would Minseok bellow a mighty disagreement and call his army to attack? I was on the edge of my seat, my hand ready to grab my knife, my eyes rapidly going from one corner of the room to the other, high on alert.

But nothing happened.

“Your Majesty.” Mira curtsied and stepped aside, making way for the high king to pass through, taking his stance before his son. 

“I hereby declare that my second born, Baekhyun,” the king lifted the crown from his own head and hovered it above Baekhyun’s. “Shall become the 127th king of Addre—”

“On second thought, I do have an objection,” Minseok interrupted.

This was it. I reached my dagger, keeping a close eye on Minseok.

“Well, I do not have an objection against my brother himself, but rather, at his soulmate.” Minseok’s gaze then drilled at me, and soon, everyone else in the room followed. Murmurs began to raise around the hall. They knew I was Baekhyun’s betrothed, but none knew my identity as his soulmate. It was kept secret for a reason.

“Choi Yeonji, my brother’s fiancee, is his soulmate,” Minseok said, pointing a hand at me to ensure every guest knew whom he was talking about. “Alas, she is also mortal.”

More gasps erupted, this time, louder than before.

“Do not lie! A vampire and a mortal cannot be bound as soulmates!” An advisor yelled.

“Not in this lifetime, but centuries ago, they were quite common,” Minseok explained, surprising me with the revelation. Was this a part of the research he had been doing?

“If you don’t believe me, perhaps they could offer a demonstration. Yeonji, if you would be kind enough to cut yourself, we would see the same pain reflected in my brother,” Minseok spoke calmly, smiling at me.

What was he playing at? If he expected me to drink the potion, he would know that this provocation would never have worked. 

Unless he had known that I wouldn’t consume it. He didn’t trust me. His plan hadn’t been to directly hurt Baekhyun, but to exploit my mortality and our soulmate bond as a weakness. 

Baekhyun abandoned his post and quickly went to stand in front of me, ensuring I wouldn’t get hurt. “Brother, what are you doing?”

“As the future heir of our kingdom, I think you ought to be honest to your citizens and fellow leaders. Don’t you agree?” Minseok taunted, the kind smile growing a tad more sinister as he turned to face the guests. “Dear citizens of Addrelida and our honorable guests, before you stands your ruler whose life is bound to a mortal woman. As you know, once a soulmate dies, the other always dies along.”

The room was silenced, but I could hear their mental gears shifting. They never swore allegiance to the high king. The reason for their obedience was fear. But they had no reason to fear a mortal. It was too easy to bend their loyalty. This opportunity was too tempting.

“My brother’s rule would be fragile one. Anyone could kill his mortal companion to ensure his death and claim the throne for their own,” Minseok continued, smirking. 

At once, I knew we had been fooled. He never planned a full on attack. Since the beginning, he intended to rally the vampires in this room, tempting them with power and wealth, convincing them to start mayhem. He was starting a revolution by turning everyone against us.

“Minseok, what nonsense are you spouting at?” The king shouted.

“Our kingdom deserves better than a king whose life depends on a weak, mortal woman,” Minseok chimed, and soon, mutters of agreement echoed around the hall. Everyone demanded for the throne to be given to someone whose lifespan would not depend on a human.

“We reject his reign!”

“Do not crown the second born!”

“Away with him! Away with the mortal!”

Those who had seen me battle would know the deception in Minseok’s words, but to all the newcomers, I was still a weak mortal. And against a multitude of power wielding vampires, I was, indeed, a weak mortal.

“Yeonji!” Baekhyun called, quickly taking me by the elbow, hiding me behind him as he conjured a shield on his arm. Several steel arrows clanked against the shield, clattering on the ground. The attack had already started. “Tell me, what do you need?”

I stammered, watching the order in the room turn chaotic. Vampires started fighting one another, each trying to outdo the other to claim the vacant throne. Baekhyun and I had immediately become the public enemy. 

“This is outrageous! I command a death sentence to all who gets caught trespassing the law of Addrelida!” The king bellowed. With the crown back on his head, he was still in command. Now, the royal soldiers joined the battle, attacking our rebellious guests.

I couldn’t waste time being idle. Though I didn’t want to kill them, with my head on the line, I didn’t have much choice.

“The darts will do,” I said. “But instead of poison, inject them with sleeping elixir.”

Understanding flashed in Baekhyun’s eyes. In his hands were immediately a dozen of darts, smaller than the one he made last time. “Thank you.”

I took the darts between my fingers and studied the targets. There were more than a dozen vampires marching towards us, but I could at least immobilize some of them. So I took a swing with my arm, every time releasing the darts from between my fingers. They landed on the neck or shoulders of the target, and each vampire was soon overcome by an overwhelming sense of drowsiness. 

I turned just in time to see Chanyeol wielding his sword, ready to strike me from above. The king had ordered death to anyone who would defy us, and clearly, Chanyeol showed such defiance. It was easy for me to thrust my dagger in his throat, but Baekhyun’s words resonated in my head. They deserved mercy too.

Before my knife hit Chanyeol’s Adam’s apple, I quickly retracted my hand, giving him a hard kick in the chest instead. He fell to the ground and shared a look with me, understanding passing through us. I spared his life, an action far too foreign in this bloodthirsty kingdom.

I never knew that bestowing mercy would feel this… satisfying. Minseok taught me to kill, but Baekhyun inspired me to spare them. These vampires didn’t deserve death—they were all tricked by Minseok’s speech.

“Watch out!”

I had no time to respond to the next attack, feeling a mighty force holding on to me, pushing me aside with rapid speed. We both fell on the ground, and I was surprised to see Jongdae crouching above me. 

“You… You saved me?” I said, completely baffled.

“If something happens to you or Baekhyun, Minseok will end up taking the throne,” he mumbled, eyes still on the battlefield. “The kingdom would become a tyranny if that happens.”

I thought that no vampire had sworn their loyalty to the king or the crown prince, but Jongdae proved me wrong. Even if his drive was powered by the reluctance to see Minseok in control, he was still fighting for our side.

“Thanks.” I adjusted the dagger in my grip. I tried to get up, but realized that this long gown made it hard to move. Out of spontaneity, I tore it apart with the knife, ensuring they ended right above my knees instead. Jongdae grinned in agreement, giving me a thumbs up amidst the blood shed.

I spotted Baekhyun defending himself from several vampire’s attack. Each of them had began to use their powers, and Baekhyun intended on holding them back without fighting back. His desire to shed no single blood was either endearing or foolish. He couldn’t stay defensive while their numbers multiplied.

When the vampire’s elemental power became too overwhelming, I took the nearest chandelier I saw and threw it at their head. The surprise attack momentarily stopped their power from flowing, and I took this opportunity to charge at them from above. 

“Baekhyun, sword!”

He conjured a long sword at my request and threw it to me. I was starting to like this synergy between us. I swung the sword and hit them all in the chest. Neither blood nor a cut appeared. Baekhyun had made the sword too thick and too dull to do actual harm.

Before I had time to comment on his fine craftsmanship, a burning chain wrapped itself around me, piercing into my skin, tearing whatever was left of my gown apart. I yelled in pain, unable to free my way out. With one eye squinted, I saw Baekhyun hissing to endure the same pain as more vampires jumped to ambush him. He was immobilized.

“You let her go, you big jerk!” 

My heart jumped at that voice and was filled with dread when Heejin daringly appeared, hitting the big vampire’s head with a ceramic vase. I doubt it did any harm, but the shock loosened the chains from my body.

“A mortal servant? I see things has gotten amiss in this kingdom,” the buff vampire grunted, switching his target to her.

The brief hold and Baekhyun’s pain had done more damage to me than I thought. I could barely reach an arm to Heejin, forced to watch in terror as the vampire readied his metal chains to slash her.

But then, right before me, I saw the vampire go incredibly still, as if an invisible force was holding him steady. He grunted against the hold, but it was too powerful to fight.

Wasn’t this Minseok’s power? Was he helping Heejin?

“Don’t mess with mortals!” Heejin then yelled. She took one of the broken vase pieces from the floor and to my horror, pierced it straight into the vampire’s chest. She screamed in panic as blood spurted out, flowing all over her hand. She let go when the vampire fell to his knees and immediately ran to me. “Y-Yeonji, are you alright?”

I was too baffled to say anything and slowly nodded. Heejin’s relieved smile soon twisted into a horrified scowl, and before I realized what was going on, I felt a slash at the side of my arm, cutting my arm into a bloody mess. In my moment of vulnerability, another enemy took the opportunity to cut my chest from the front.

Jongdae appeared right when my knees buckled to the floor. He carried me in his arms, escaping using his heightened agility to where Baekhyun and Mira were already taking cover at. He placed me down to lean against Baekhyun who was enduring his own share of injuries after escaping their earlier attack. We were clearly outnumbered.

“You two need to run,” Mira said sternly, punctuating her warning with a strong edge.

“We can’t, the coronation—”

“If you don’t listen to me, Your Highness, there won’t be anyone left to coronate but your eldest brother,” she interrupted, hushing him completely.

I understood immediately. “You’ve foreseen our failure if we stay and fight, haven’t you?”

Mira pressed her lips and nodded.

“Even if we were to escape, where will we go? What would happen to the kingdom?” Baekhyun asked, not liking this idea a single bit.

“There will be a way, but staying here would worsen everything,” Mira said. 

I looked around the room, seeing vampires killing one another. Even innocent bystanders were dragged into the fight, and it had been our fault. If only I could find Lay and have him heal me, then I’d continue to fight and…

_“Go now!”_

I jumped at the sudden command and looked around. The voice did not belong to any of my comrades, and no one else had been close enough to address me with such clarity. Was my pain making me hallucinate?

_“Crown Baekhyun king, no matter what.”_

The voice was certainly real, though I had no idea whom it belonged to or where it came from. Even so, it reminded me of the ultimate goal we failed to achieve today.

“There isn’t much time. You must go. The fight will end in your absence,” Mira pressed, returning me back to reality.

She had a point. The vampires were after us. Without Baekhyun and I in the picture, they no longer had a cause to fight over.

“How will we escape? Yeonji can barely move,” Baekhyun said, repositioning my arm around his shoulder.

“I could carry you both. It will be faster,” Jongdae suggested, but his brother shook his head.

“Our weight will slow you down.”

“Well, you better hurry and think of something else, cause they found us,” Jongdae said, and we simultaneously looked at the incoming army of vampires marching up towards us. There were sprinkles of blood on their face and outfit, a cruel memento of those whose lives they had taken.

We were cornered with no plan and nowhere to go, until...

“I’ll buy you some time,” a feminine voice appeared before us, and my heart nearly tumbled over when Jihye took the stance before us—a lonesome warrior against a sea of incoming assailants.

“But of course.” Baekhyun hoisted me up, holding another hand around my waist. He carefully guided me to the back of the wall, feeling around for a hidden passageway. “Thank you, Jihye.”

“Will it be alright? Can she fight? What if they hurt her?” I was surprised by my own worries for Jihye. I never thought I liked her, but between our banters and our common adoration towards my soulmate, I supposed I had developed somewhat of a kinship towards her. 

“You should know better than to underestimate a woman,” Baekhyun said, trying his best to exude confidence through his worn out grin.

As we entered the passageway, I looked back with feelings of restlessness. Jihye stood all alone and elegantly raised her hand like a graceful performer. She waited for the vampires to come close, and when they hit her line of vision, she caught them off guard in an ambush. From her hands flowed an abundance of mist. It was a thick ocean of impenetrable cloud that covered the space between us and them. It blinded the attackers and obstructed their movements from coming after us.

I gasped in surprise, unable to stop my sense of awe towards the girl whom I had always chided at. No matter what, she was still a vampire with powers, and that same power had saved us today.

Thanks to her, Baekhyun and I managed to escape into the unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've finished writing this entire story (32 chapters in total) and would like to make an offer~ :D  
> Recently, I set up my own crownfund page on AsianFanfics, including the option to gain access and read through the ENTIRE story without having to wait for a new chapter to come out every week. So if that sounds like something you'd be interested in, you can subscribe here:
> 
> https://www.asianfanfics.com/crowdfund/creator/Blu3Wind/overview
> 
> It's the $5 per month tier, but technically, feel free to unsubscribe after you've read through everything so you won't be charged on a monthly basis.  
> If you're enjoying this story, I would super appreciate any support since I'm currently unemployed, and I'm hoping to be able to actually make writing my source of income someday. Hehe  
> But I understand if you can't, and I'm already super grateful that you're all reading, leaving comments and upvotes for this story~
> 
> PS. I have a feeling you will all love the next chapter~


	26. Hidden (M)

The underground passageway was a dark and hollow cave that extended into an abyss of nothingness. If it weren’t for the torch Baekhyun had created, we wouldn’t be able to navigate our way through. 

“Where does this lead us?” I asked, feeling myself panting at every syllable. I had lost too much blood, and despite my inability to function on my own, Baekhyun carried most of my weight as we marched forward.

“The forest.” He adjusted his grip around my arm and his hand slipped. Wet squeaks resonated in the cave, but his hold around my waist fastened to prevent a fall. 

“Don’t speak. You need to preserve your oxygen,” he instructed in a low whisper. “There’s a lack of air circulation down here.“

I mustered a weak scoff. “Which doesn’t bother a vampire?”

He nodded and flashed me a teasing grin. “If you run out of air, I could always help you, you know. Mouth to mouth.”

I resisted the urge to laugh but ended up cracking a smile. It was the most inappropriate timing to speak seductive words, and maybe he was trying to divert my attention from the pain. It worked. While I smiled, I didn’t wince as much. The movement contracted the muscles in my stomach, alleviating the pain from my chest and arm.

It had been minutes, and no one seemed to be on our trail. We were safe for the time being. But the end was nowhere near in sight. I was afraid I’d lose my consciousness after all the blood I’ve shed.

“Tell me something,” I mumbled, surprised by the fainting shimmer in my voice, like I was nearly lulled to sleep and used the remnants of my energy to stay awake.

“About what?” He asked.

“Anything.”

He hummed in thought, and as I rested my head against his chest, I felt the tremor of his hum. Unconsciously, I nestled closer, wanting to feel more of him against me. It was a tangible reassurance of his presence, and with him here, I felt secure.

“When we were younger, my father made my brothers and I train together. It was quite brutal, we used actual swords instead of wooden sticks. Even if we struck each other, there was a healer to heal us. We’ve never truly been afraid of pain.”

I shifted my head the slightest, indicating my focused attention. How cruel it was to teach a bunch of children to have that mindset.

“Out of us three, Jongdae had always been the best with a sword. He showed formidable talent in a battlefield and knew how to outbest his opponents. He loved the power, even if it meant he had to hurt others to get it. He believed a healer would always be ready to heal his victims anyway, so he never hesitated.”

Poor child. I began to understand why Jongdae was thirsty for blood and violence. Perhaps he was like Sehun, seeking words of approval from those around him, and perhaps he was greedy for power. But knowing Jongdae had never been interested in the throne, I assumed it was the former.

“And you?” I asked. “How did you fare in a battle?”

Baekhyun grinned. “I was lazy and tried to skip out on my lessons.”

“I would’ve beat you,” I said.

“Oh, but that was my trick, sweetheart. People underestimate me without knowing what I’m really capable of. They fight me without much expectation. So when I strike back, they’re caught offguard.”

I mirrored his grin, knowing the truth in his words. During our first night together, I was surprised to see him handling my knife with admirable proficiency. Even now, he amazed me from time to time again with his knowledge and skills. But perhaps he had it in him all along and simply chose to conceal it.

“What about Minseok?”

His grip stiffened. “He never played by the rules.”

I tilted my head, seeing the grin fading from his face.

“Our father would pair us together for mock battles of pure swordsmanship. Minseok knew he couldn’t best Jongdae in terms of strength. So while fighting, he cheated and used his power to silence Jongdae in place. Then he went to strike our little brother right in the chest.”

I gasped.

“A vampire’s injury can be healed, but a direct stab in the heart with a sword of silver would result in immediate death.”

It was just like the myth from Minseok’s forbidden book. Tidbits of truth were intertwined among the fabled tales. I wondered what else was true.

“Minseok missed his heart by a few inches, and we were sure it was the lack of expertise that saved Jongdae’s life. We all knew that he would’ve gone straight for the heart if he could.”

I held on to Baekhyun, feeling my stomach churn at his tale. Minseok had actually tried to kill his younger brother that day. This explained Jongdae‘s terror whenever he was in Minseok’s presence. Perhaps the murder attempt hadn’t stopped there and had carried on throughout the years. This was also why Baekhyun had always loathed the idea of me being alone with Minseok. He had always been worried something bad would happen to me.

“To think I was working for him,” I mumbled, feeling a shiver down my spine.

Baekhyun scoffed smugly. “Aren’t you glad I saved you?”

“Saved me?”

“If it weren’t for me, you’d still be infatuated with my brother,” he said, and I noticed his playful tone of humor. 

“Lucky me,” I said dryly, unwilling to admit to his face that he was right. Then another idea popped in my mind. “Is this how you’ve learned to be merciful?”

Baekhyun pressed his lips together, looking away from me. “I’m not certain, but I knew I’ve always despised my father’s cruel methods. And still, I have been raised using such methods and beliefs that I can’t help but follow them despite my own wishes.”

Understandable. When a certain teaching had been ingrained in one’s head since childhood, it was difficult to replace it with new set of beliefs. This was why I had thought of Baekhyun as the enemy for the longest time, although I never had proof of it. This was why Baekhyun stabbed me back during the first night, needing to hurt me even though he was personally against it. We were both raised in this cruel and twisted world, and that became a part of who we are.

We stopped walking then and I realized we were no longer surrounded by the rocky interior of the small cave. We were now standing underneath the night sky, numerous stars in the velvety night sky illuminated our way among monogamous trees . 

We made it to the forest.

“What now?” I asked, looking around for a path of familiarity. The cave had taken us further away from the palace. This was unlike the forest I used to train in, and neither did I recognize a road that led back to our kingdom and its town.

“We need to find shelter and treat you first. Though I do enjoy holding you, we’d be better off if you could fight again,” he spoke honestly, grinning down at me, and I stopped myself from replying to that.

We traveled through the woods, replacing the torch for a flashlight to prevent the trees from getting burned. There was no direction to go off from, no clue to help us navigate, and no destination to take shelter in. We wandered aimlessly to the point I surreptitiously wished Baekhyun could conjure a hut of some sorts. But I knew it would’ve consumed too much energy. Despite his steady composure and occasional lewd lines, I felt the increasing rise and fall of his chest, trying to steady his breathing. Carrying me was draining his strength.

Then, when things could not get worse, the sky flashed bright for a split second. The moment Baekhyun and I exchanged a worried look, a downpour of heavy rain started.

“Good, Lord!” I cried, instinctively wanting to shield my head, but the movement hurt too much. Instead, Baekhyun shifted the mantel from himself and quickly covered my head with it. I suppressed my beating heart when his sweet fragrance danced all over me. Soft jasmine that extruded innocence and passionate desires at the same time. It reminded me of all the times he held me close enough to get a whiff of his scent.

“We must find shelter,” Baekhyun said. “Can you walk or do I need to carry you?”

“I can walk.”

He assessed me for a second, but when the thunder pierced the sky with its shriek again, he led the way. 

After circling the forests several times, we finally managed to find a good hiding spot. Hidden between old tree trunks and covered with moss, was the entrance to a small cave, nearly the size of his royal bed back at the kingdom. Baekhyun created a cushion and carefully helped me sit. Then he worked on creating some woods to start a fire. The mantel slid off me as I held my hands against the fire, relieved at the warmth. But my peace did not last very long.

“Take off your clothes,” Baekhyun commanded.

“Excuse me?” I was about to protest at his debauched advances when I turned to him and saw him stripping himself off his clothes. Though I had seen his naked torso many times before—and even felt them at times—a blush crept on my face, and I quickly looked away.

“What is this unusual modesty? Your clothes are drenched. I don’t want you to get sick,” he said, making my heart race at his concern. But then he amended. “We have no healer.”

I huffed a protest. So much for him worrying.

“Besides, you’re bleeding. I can’t clean up your wound with your clothes in the way,” he continued, and though his words made sense, his usual teasing made me think that he might have other intentions.

With my body heating up at the thought, I began to undress. But the soonest I moved my arm, the pain from my arm and chest intensified, making me yelp. 

Baekhyun halted midway, an eyebrow raised with intrigue. He met my gaze, and immediately, the wolfish smile appeared.

“Need help, sweetheart?” 

“No.”

I was half glad that Baekhyun had learned to ignore my stubborn responses. He knelt down in front of me, his bare chest still showing. With swift fingers, he pulled out a small knife out of thin air, and began to cut through my bodice. I hitched a breath, watching him move, slowly, lower and lower. The faint brush of his cold finger against my chest made me release a lewd sound, one which immediately made Baekhyun jerk his head up to me.

He didn’t grin one of his arrogant smiles, nor did he supply an irritating commentary. He simply watched me, his eyes hooded and longing, as if he was also restraining himself from wanting to touch me.

“Stop making such noises,” he mumbled, shaking his head to help himself focus on his task. 

“Why?” I asked, watching him create a small towel and a bowl of water, reminding me of the other time he had taken care of me when I was sick.

“Because I can’t stop myself from wanting to touch you,” he answered honestly, the dilemma etched over his knotted eyebrows.

The small confession dipped my lips into a knowing smile. Baekhyun was more of a gentleman than Minseok had ever pretended to be. Despite his own desires, he wouldn’t make a move knowing I was injured. 

“But a vampire’s tongue bears healing abilities. It’d be much easier to help me recover that way.” I teased, because seeing him battle his own self control was quite endearing. He huffed a loud, exasperated sigh, more careful not to brush over my exposed skin. He swallowed. And I came to realize that teasing him was my own way of trying to restrain my own yearnings.

“Do not tempt me, sweetheart.”

He continued cutting through whatever was left of my gown, releasing a rasp breath when the gown fell apart, revealing me in my undergarments. The lust hung thick in the air between us, and yet, we both knew not to act out on it.

“I can’t help it,” I breathed, very aware of his close presence before me. I could feel his warm breath as he appraised my eyes, my lips, and then my body. And then, in his own moment of rebellion, the cold tip of his finger reached out to the skin of my neckline, lowering between the valley of my breasts, brushing all the way down to my hips, and slowing down at my thighs where he settled the entirety of his palm against my skin. Every move made me shiver, arching my head backwards, unable to stop another moan from escaping. I knew he was merely tracing the lines of my wound, assessing my injuries, but a single touch from him was enough to lit my insides with desire. I could barely think of anything else until his voice interrupted.

“What’s this?” He asked, picking up the deep red vial from my sheath.

My eyes widened in surprise, all arousal immediately forgotten. I had neglected the potion and was suddenly afraid what Baekhyun’s reaction would be. “M-Minseok gave it to me before the coronation. He says it’s a potion that could break off the soulmate bond.”

“Truly?” His eyebrows raised with interest.

“He wanted me to consume it, but I didn’t.”

Baekhyun regarded the liquid with curiosity, rotating it in different angles against the fire to get a better look. Then he stopped and gazed right at me. “Why not?”

The idea had crossed my mind before, and seeing him endure the pain as I was getting slashed, I was so sure my mind was made up. However, the king’s revelation made me reconsider everything.

“Because your father said that being soulmates doesn’t mean that we feel each other’s pain, but that we share the burden of the received pain. It makes us stronger.”

Honestly, who was I trying to kid? Though those were the words of reason and logic, my heart had an entirely different explanation. I couldn’t possibly tell him that I didn’t want to take the potion because a selfish part of me feared being separated from him. If I was no longer his soulmate, he wouldn’t need me. He said he wouldn’t discard me, but words were ephemeral promises that could be broken when a better opportunity presented itself. I was scared to lose him.

“U-Unless you want me to?” I asked, licking my lips. It was wrong to impose my will without accounting his interests. My chest ached, and despite hoping he wouldn’t comply, I had to present him the idea. “I mean, if you’d like to break off the bond, I could drink it and—”

“Surely you must be jesting,” he interrupted, returning his gaze to me, carnal and wild. “I thought you’d know me better by now.”

I couldn’t reek my eyes away from him, his skin shimmering more beautiful in the dim lit fire glow. He neared me, a hand enclasped against my cheek, caressing it with such fondness that made me not want to part from him ever again.

“You being my soulmate was determined by fate, but even if I had the freedom to choose my own soulmate, I would choose you over and over again,” Baekhyun whispered, and I felt my composure about to break, not knowing how to react when he made the tender confession. “I want you, and only you.”

I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath until Baekhyun leaned forward, his breath a soft whisper against my lips. Unlike usual, he didn’t force himself on me, and I realized there was a fragility that came with his confession, needing an affirmation of some sorts. Just as I was giving him the choice of drinking the potion, he was giving me the choice to choose him—to preserve our bond.

Without thinking much, my body followed its desire. My hand moved to the back of his neck, gently brushing the wet locks of his hair. I pulled him closer while I leaned in, grazing his lips with a soft brush of my own. This wasn’t like any of our other kisses. Every touch of his lips treated me like a high prized treasure, worthy of care, worthy of affection. He kissed me in a way that made me think he might love me, and I might love him back.

“Choi Yeonji,” he called out my name using such tenderness that I melted right into his touch. I didn’t want to part from him and kept our lips pressed together as my fingers roamed over his neck, trailing down his chest. But his lips had moved to plant soft pecks on my neck, and I tilted sideways, feeling him whisper once more. “Do you want me?”

“So much,” I gasped, “it’s driving me crazy.”

And that did it. We shifted from the soft and bashful kisses to something more feral we were used to. He pressed me to the ground, having created a soft blanket for us to lie on. Baekhyun hovered over me, lowering his lips to kiss me harder. My arms sneaked around his neck, keeping him close as my tongue sought out for his. He reciprocated, entering my mouth with dominance—wrestling, tangling and untangling.

His wet and greedy kisses trailed down to my neck, lower to my chest, following the line of my injury. He murmured, intoxicated at the taste of my blood, growing uncontrollable. With a groan, he ripped my bra off, his eyes hooded as he took the sight in. One hand began to caress my breast, molding and massaging it in his hands. The cold touch ignited a sensation that had me desperate for more.

Baekhyun lowered his head to grab a mouthful of my other breast. His tongue began to flick around my erect nipple, excavating loud moans from me. I had imagined what his tongue could do to me, but they did this sensation no justice. He brought me on the edge of pleasure. The small nips turned to nibbles, and as the pool of desire built up, the nibbles turned into sensual bites. 

My head spun with unfulfilled yearning, and as if he knew how to cure it, a naughty finger had found its way to between my legs, brushing light flicks over the thin fabric in between. I whimpered a little, recalling all those past instances when he had teased me and left me hanging. Feeling his lips curl into his usual smirk, I was afraid he’d play me again.

“Don’t stop,” I rasped, grabbing his hair between my fingers. “I want you.”

He snapped again, giving me exactly what I wanted, and slipped his entire hand inside my panties. The feel of his icy cold hand against my wet core made me lose my mind all over. And as he began to move his finger, lightly caressing me in small circles, he drew out my moans of ecstasy. I writhed under his sinful touch, frustrated I couldn’t have more.

“You do want me,” Baekhyun whispered, watching me with half amazement and arrogance. He loved being the reason for me coming undone. “If I had known this would disarm you, I would’ve done it sooner.”

He stopped touching me, and in my daze, I barely registered him lowering his pants, presenting himself in full, glorious nudity. He regarded me again, hesitating whether he should proceed. I leaned on my arms, pressing a deep kiss to his lips. 

“Maybe you should’ve,” I said, feeling him position himself before me. “I would’ve let you.”

We didn’t know what would happen tomorrow, or the day after. Fighting Minseok might not end well, and even so, the selfish part of me wanted to experience this surreal act before reality bit back.

Before I could say anything more, he had pushed himself inside me, and I cried at the unexpected feeling, painful in the most pleasurable way possible. When he began thrusting, I couldn’t stop the incoherent, crude noises I was producing, hardly human. It hurt in a way that made me tangle my hands around the blanket, but at the same time, I didn’t want it to stop. Along with the pain was a delightful sensation I couldn’t describe otherwise. Baekhyun’s grunt mingled with my own as he continued thrusting, closing his eyes in enjoyment. 

He began to pick up his pace, pushing harder and faster, faster and harder. We were alone in the forest, and I cared not if I had become a screaming mess, eliciting all sorts of pleas to which he complied to. 

It didn’t take long before his movements accelerated, rocking into me as our damp skins smashed together. The feeling was unbearable, and it began to build up into an outburst of pleasure. Baekhyun let out a groan as he reached his climax, shuddering a release within me. I followed afterwards, amazed and overridden by this newfound sensation. We both panted, our chest rising and falling in sync.

Baekhyun lied down beside me, his arm welcoming me to snuggle against him. Our bodies were damp with sweat, but he still brushed the top of my head and planted soft kisses. The rain had stopped pouring without our knowledge, but we didn’t bother to move away from each other.

Just once, for one night that had come too late, I wanted to stay like this with Baekhyun. Not because we were soulmates or engaged, but because I realized I wanted him, always have and always will.

“Choi Yeonji,” Baekhyun’s voice blew the strands from my hair, and I felt the brush of his lips on my forehead. “I am afraid I may have fallen for you.”

I abruptly turned to him, wondering whether my intoxicating blood or his release had made him lose his mind. But as our eyes met, I realized he held me with the softest gaze I had ever seen him muster, looking at me with so much ardor. It was such a beautiful sight, and I wondered whether I always looked at him in that same way too. As we were hiding within this cave, I knew my feelings for him could no longer stay hidden.

I smiled and dipped a kiss on his lips.

“I am afraid I may have fallen for you too.”


	27. Refuge

I woke up to warm sunlight—the memories from last night even warmer in my mind. Had Baekhyun and I really done that? Had we professed our feelings and made love while the rain continued to pour outside? I shifted a little, coming face to face with my soulmate whose arm still held me like a pillow.

A wisp of smile crossed my features, and I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to touch him. My arm no longer hurt as much as it did last night, and I carefully brushed the hair away from his face, studying the serenity of his closed eyelids, the slight pout in his swollen lips I had kissed, and the wholesome beauty of the man who had told me he loved me.

I retracted my fingers when he moved a little, and soon, his red eyes bore into mine. I would never know how he managed to emit the smoldering look right after waking.

“Morning, sweetheart,” he mumbled, tilting the corner of his lips into a smile that set my heart into a frantic tango.

“M-Morning.”

As he pecked my forehead, I was on the verge of thinking this had all been a wondrous dream. Any doubts and fears dissipated as a reprise of his confession replayed in my head, over and over again. Despite the chaos with the kingdom, I longed to enjoy this moment a little bit longer.

When I shifted closer into his chest, I realized he had conjured a quilt for us, which was a better alternative than sleeping nude. The blanket underneath us was still intact, and I couldn’t help but wonder how much more powerful he had gotten since our first meeting. One or two hours had been the limits of his power at most, but the period seemed to lengthen to an entire night now. My observations were interrupted by a sudden voice.

“Y-Your Royal Highness... Yeonji...”

Baekhyun and I widened our eyes, exchanging a look of disbelief before we simultaneously turned to the unexpected intruder. In front of the cave, squatting down on the muddy ground, was the stable boy whose face had gotten slightly red. I remembered him.

“Jongin!” It was the human male who was kissing the vampire noblewoman several days ago.

I quickly grabbed the quilt in front of me, suddenly very aware at my lack of clothing. Jongin, seemingly realizing this, quickly looked away in embarrassment. Baekhyun immediately made me a new outfit, similar to my assassin attire which allowed easier movement. I should probably still change into something else later considering I didn’t know when Baekhyun’s creations would wear out and disappear.

“Who is this man? Do you know him?” Baekhyun was immediately on guard, squinting his eyes at the newcomer.

“I… I mean no harm, Your Highness. I was just passing through when I noticed faint footprints nearly washed out from the rain. I followed thinking someone else managed to escape the palace,” Jongin explained, holding his hands in front of him as self defense.

“You speak as if many people have escaped the palace,” I remarked.

Jongin grinned. “Oh, but they have. People like me and Ahreum. The palace is pretty much the only place where vampires and humans meet.”

Thus, the only place where they could start a courtship and continue to flirt behind everyone’s back. Outside the palace walls, vampires and humans had their own towns: the rich rural area and the poor suburban. Frequenting the other was very rare unless to collect taxes or to take up a slave. No wonder Jongin and Ahreum escaped the palace and town in pursuit of a relationship together.

“Ahreum as in Lee Ahreum? High general Lee’s daughter?” Baekhyun was filled with sudden recognition.

“Yes.” Jongin blinked at him, baffled. “I’m surprised you know her.”

“I know my people,” Baekhyun chimed, and I couldn’t help myself from smiling. He would truly become a benevolent king considering he cared for every single one of his subjects to the point of having memorized their names. “But apologies, I don’t think we have met before.”

“I-I’m Kim Jongin,” the younger man gulped, not expecting the crown prince to directly address him. “P-Please do not concern yourself over the likes of me. We are just glad to see the both of you safe and sound.”

“We? You and Ahreum?” I asked.

“Yes, and everyone else who are like us.” Jongin grinned, a full row of white pearls on display. “Our village isn’t far from here. Perhaps it’d be better if you come with me. It’s a better alternative to this cave here.”

We had no reason to object. If he were talking about people like him and Ahreum, could he be talking about a renegade village where vampires and humans coexisted together in harmony?

***

We followed Jongin as he led us to the village, which upon arrival, looked like a place from the stone age. Numerous straw huts were scattered around the spacious open area. A human male walked in a wooden shack carrying a fishing rod and his daily catch, probably the food storage place. Little kids ran here and there, circling a pit of unlit campfire, their eyes a mix of red and brown. 

“Are those…” Baekhyun trailed off, his face a mixture of confusion and amazement.

“Halfbreeds. They’re half vampire, half mortal,” Jongin explained.

I stood in awe as a little girl circled around me, hiding behind me while she and her friends played hide and seek. As she gazed up to me with mischief, shushing a little finger to her mouth, I couldn’t stop staring at her eyes. They were the most beautiful pairing of two different shades that made her eyes glimmer in the sunlight. A halfbreed.

Whatever the people in this village managed to achieve was the ultimate utopia we were fighting for—for vampires and humans to live as equals. How wonderful it would be if these children could grow up without ever knowing the disparity that existed during our time. 

“Jongin, where have you—”

I saw Ahreum approaching us, and the moment I threw a wide smile at her, she immediately dropped on her knees and curtsied. She wore a simple dress of somber colors instead of her elaborate noblewoman gown. In fact, everyone here dressed in similar modest fashion. One could hardly tell who was above the other—well, except for Baekhyun who was still in his coronation outfit.

“Your Highness, Yeonji, it is an honor to be graced with your presence,” Ahreum greeted us, not daring to meet our eyes.

Seeing the spectacle she had created, other villagers noticed us. In no time, they were circled around us, each dipping to their knees in recognition of the royal member in their midst.

“You may rise. There is no need for such formalities. There’s no throne,” Baekhyun jested, maintaining his regal composure as he faced his people. I saw surprise settling on his face, recognizing a few vampires among the bunch.

“Nonsense. A true king’s authority is not determined by his throne,” a voice chimed from among the crowd, and I wondered who was brave enough to address Baekhyun in such a manner.

“Junmyeon!” Baekhyun recognized the man at once, striding forward to pat the man at the back. He probably would’ve hugged the vampire if all eyes weren’t on him. “What a surprise to see you here. I suppose you have tire from the usual royal court performances.”

“Entertaining you lousy men isn’t half as amusing as entertaining these little ones,” the guy named Junmyeon said. As if to prove his words, he gracefully lifted his index finger, and soon, the water inside a nearby jug began to spring upwards, shaping itself into a firework of water droplets. The children were as amazed as I was, and when they applauded, I had the greatest urge to follow along.

“Don’t show such fascination when you have never ogled over my abilities,” Baekhyun grunted, immediately restraining my hands from applauding. 

How curious. He was acting like a jealous lover. I couldn’t help but smirk at him. “Perhaps if you showed me something different than metal chains and handcuffs all the time.”

“But where would the pleasure be in that? You’re fond of them, are you not, sweetheart?”

Dear God. With these villagers listening and children watching along, this was not the type of conversation we should be having. I blushed when I realized some of the adults looking away bashfully. 

“So,” Junmyeon cleared his throat, returning to a more important matter. “We have heard about the coronation disaster. Has your eldest brother finally shown his true colors to everyone?”

“It’s the reason we had to flee. Mira told us it’s the only way to stop Minseok,” Baekhyun spoke, and based on Junmyeon’s understanding nod, I supposed he used to be a member of the high court along with Mira and Lay. Besides, anyone with the knowledge of Minseok’s wickedness had to be close to the royal family.

“Our village may be small and lacking compared to your lavish lifestyle, but we’d be honored to provide refuge for the both of you,” Ahreum spoke, unable to cease her formal tone. “We have heard of your injuries. You may stay here as long as you’d like to recover.”

“Of course you’re free to stay longer,” Jongin chimed in, snaking an arm around Ahreum, and the sight of the vampire and human in love had me in awe. “Whatever you need, we will do our best to obtain it. These are the best bunch of humans and vampires you can find.”

Baekhyun frowned. ”I have been wondering this for a while now, but where exactly are we? Why are…” he trailed off his sentence, afraid to put a separation between the two kinds.

“Vampires and humans living together?” Jongin continued the sentence for him and grinned wider. “Because the two of you have inspired us to go against all odds and love one another despite our differences. Your Highness, this is a place where we have become one.”

Baekhyun stared around him, taking in the couples standing together, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder. Every mismatched pair were in love, and it was a strange, albeit marvelous sight.

“So? Isn’t this the perfect place for the both of you to take shelter in? Without the two of you, we wouldn’t have dared to come together like this,” Jongin continued, staring proudly at the people.

“Thank you for your hospitality. We do not have anything to repay you with as of now,” Baekhyun said.

“That’s alright. We’ll collect the payments later when you’ve taken back your throne,” Jongin jested, which earned him a careful jerk from Ahreum. “Forgive me, I have gone too far.”

“You have created a place where no person should be seen above or beneath the other, please do not treat me any differently,” Baekhyun spoke. “I am like all of you; a vampire besotted by a mortal woman.”

His words caught me by surprise, and I found several people staring at me too. How did Baekhyun manage to speak those words with such ease, acting as if he hadn’t stirred up my feelings?

Several children braved themselves to walk up to him, curious of the furry mantel he wore. Baekhyun leisurely entertained every single one of their questions, and my chest warmed up at the sight of him playing with kids. Who knew he’d have this kind of side to him too?

Baekhyun looked up and caught my gaze. As if forgetting that he had behaved differently from his usual mien, he immediately straightened himself, clearing his throat, looking every bit the regal and cruel crown prince I now knew was a facade.

“Children, please don’t bother the prince,” Ahreum said softly, and the kids sprinted off in laughters and cheers. She dusted her dress and faced us once again. “When you have time, we will need to have your wounds looked at.”

“Do you have a healer?” I asked.

“No, but we have the best human physician,” Jongin proudly bragged. “You musn’t forget that us humans are capable of many great things despite having no super powers. Our determination is our strength, and our perseverance a power.”

I grinned, wholeheartedly agreeing. It took years of training before I acquired my current skills as an assassin, one which was on par with Sehun and all other vampires in Minseok’s army. They may have started off with an extra advantage by birth, but that meant I needed to work even harder to catch up.

“And I assume you would eventually need to infiltrate the palace,” Junmyeon spoke, seeing the bigger picture ahead.

“You can count on us, Your Highness! We are willing to fight on your side and die protecting you!” Jongin spoke, his passion overflowing. He rallied other villagers to nod in agreement.

“There are many experienced soldiers here, some who has served the army for decades,” Junmyeon continued, much calmer and calculating in contrast to Jongin’s passion. “I reckon you might need someone to talk with regarding strategies.”

“Junmyeon, our royal entertainer, have you found yourself a new field of expertise?” Baekhyun asked, his eyes sparkling when he spoke to a familiar face. Perhaps they had even been friends.

“I have always been interested in the battlefield, but the king was rather fond of my water performances, so who was I to reject?” Junmyeon replied, the smile intact despite the chide in his words.

“If all goes well, I'm most certain the new ruler would be willing to reinstate you on the battlefield,” Baekhyun said.

“That is most generous of you.” Junmyeon made a small bow, all the while smiling at Baekhyun.

There were many things I had never noticed while I had been at the palace, and only now, after being with Baekhyun, were my eyes finally opened. My soulmate was charming, and despite his occasional wickedness, he managed to win over people’s heart. In the end, whether it’d be his personality, his strong beliefs, or his vision for equality, people were always drawn to him.

In the midst of my thoughts, I didn’t realize Baekhyun had come over, lacing his fingers with mine. He had already dismissed the others, using this time of privacy to speak with me.

“What do you think we should do, sweetheart?”

I blinked in surprise, not expecting him to account my opinion into this. “You don’t need my approval. You’re the king, Baekhyun.”

“And you’re my queen. You have as much say as I do,” he said, the earnest word making me feel warm all over again. “So what do you think?”

I have never been treated with such importance, like an equal, like my opinions mattered to this extent.

“I think we should stay, asses everyone’s abilities here, then determine what strategies can be formed around that,” I said, the words continuing to flow. “Minseok will force everyone at the palace to bow down to him, and knowing how he can control movement, it’d be easy for him to make the king crown him as well.”

Baekhyun smiled, seemingly pleased with my answer. But as soon as it had appeared, it also disappeared. “Controlling my father’s movement would be the best scenario. I fear my brother might do worse.”

“How so?”

His face contorted with worries, and he looked over his shoulder to ensure no one was near enough to listen. He guided me to a more secluded area, squeezing my hand.

“I’m sure you know of my mother’s passing.”

I nodded. At that time, I had rejoiced over her death, believing she was an evil woman who did not deserve to live. But now, she was also the woman who had birthed this very man before me, the man I had come to fall in love with. I couldn’t despise her as much as before.

“She died of a sickness.”

“Except that she didn’t,” Baekhyun amended. He lowered his tone and stepped closer to my ear. “She was murdered.”

I pulled away in shock. “Who could get past the guards and security?”

“Someone whom the guards thought not to be wary of,” Baekhyun replied solemnly, and I put two and two together to understand his implication.

“Minseok?”

Baekhyun nodded. “She was placed in a secluded room in a high tower. Guards have spotted Minseok entering the room at midnight when no one else was present, and everytime he left, her condition worsened. We hadn’t found absolute evidence, but the night she died, Minseok had been alone with her.”

The part of me that remembered the gentle man Minseok used to be refused to believe this theory, but I knew better than to fool myself. When he took me in, his sole purpose had been to train me into becoming his assassin. Minseok was the type of person who would kill his own family members. He even tried to…

“Poison!” I gasped, the connection becoming vivid in my head. “He could’ve poisoned her in the same way he did to you.”

“That was my initial suspicion since there was no blood or scars on my mother’s body. Kitchen servants have told me that Minseok always requested for tea made by juniper berries before visiting her.”

“Juniper? Are you certain? Several tea has the effect to enhance a poison or medicine’s effect, and juniper is definitely one of them,” I said, remembering my toxicology lessons. Ironically, it was Minseok who taught me this.

We may not have solid evidence, nor can we go back in time to test our theories, but knowing Minseok’s eerie ambition was enough to go by. Remembering the incident when Minseok tried to stab poor little Jongdae’s heart, everything became more plausible.

“Is that why he was never chosen as the king’s successor?” I asked.

“That, and because of his wicked intentions,” Baekhyun said. “You see, father is a telepath. He can read people’s mind and speak to us in our head.”

My eyes widened in surprise. Back at the palace, a foreign voice had urged me to go, and only now did I realize it resembled the king’s voice, but stronger and healthier than his current condition. He was using his power to communicate with me.

If the king could read minds, he would’ve known of Minseok’s malicious schemes all along. Perhaps it was for that reason that he avoided giving Minseok the throne.

“Do you still hear him now?” I asked.

“Yes, he is giving me intel regarding the palace’s condition,” Baekhyun answered, his face suddenly somber. “He is trying to make my father crown him, but my father would rather be tortured to death than surrender his kingdom to my brother. So he is currently held captive as a prisoner.”

“Prisoner?” I repeated, my heart sinking at the thought. What about our friends whom we had to leave behind? Were they tortured and jailed as well?

“Yeonji,” Baekhyun called, my head jerking at the urgency in his voice. He took my hands, squeezing tightly. “We don’t have much time. We need to go back and fight my brother as soon as possible.”

I nodded. This was one thing we both wholeheartedly agreed on.


	28. Weapon (M)

“And then it goes _boom_!”

I jumped up when I walked by, hearing a small explosion nearby. In the distance, white smoke emerged along with the smell of something being burned. Jongin was cheering and throwing a victorious fist in the air.

“Did you do that?” I asked, genuinely surprised.

“Oh, Yeonji! Did you see that? Wasn’t it awesome?” Jongin beamed, folding his arms. “It’s one of my latest creations. A bomb.”

My jaw dropped in disbelief. A bomb was extremely rare in our kingdom because we didn’t have the right raw material or resources to create one. The weapon was soon forgotten because a vampire’s ability compensated for it. But ever since Minseok told us about the existence of a bomb, Sehun and I had always wanted to get our hands on one. At least he got to heat up stones with his power which he threw at others. Clearly, it was a poor imitation of a bomb, but it was the closest thing we had seen to it.

“You… You know how to create a bomb?” I blinked, completely stupefied. My eyes scanned the man up and down. Though he was no longer dressed in his stable worker attire, he definitely did not dress the part of a genius bomb maker.

“It’s not that hard once you have the right materials. Luckily, the location of our village has perfect access to sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate,” Jongin said, spreading his arms wide towards the surrounding nature. “I simply had to mix them together to create gunpowder, add a sprinkle of sugar to it, and _bam_!”

My head began to spin, wondering what language he was speaking. This was neither human nor fae language, was it? Whatever it was, based on the explosion earlier, Jongin seemed to have a good understanding of this field. “I… I honestly thought you were a stable boy.”

“I was. My job at the palace was to take care of the royal horses. They have the best shampoos, by the way. I managed to sneak some out.” Jongin grinned, and he fanned his hair to show its silkiness. “But in my free time, I like to tinker with these things. I suppose you could call it a passion of mine.”

“What a waste of talent to have you shampooing horse manes while you could’ve been creating bombs for the king,” I said, laughing in amazement.

This was the fault that lied with the king and all vampires. They underestimated humans and placed them in derogatory jobs, thus completely disregarding their specialties. If Jongin was sent to work with the inventors or weaponsmiths, he would’ve helped us win many wars.

“Well, I’d like to believe not everyone could shampoo the horse’s mane to smooth perfection like I did,” Jongin bragged, and I laughed at his humor. 

How delightful it was to talk this freely to another human beyond the boundaries of the palace. With Heejin, I still had to be on guard, and most of our conversations tend to revolve around Minseok. It was refreshing to laugh and be merry with someone as if we weren’t preparing for war.

From my peripheral vision, I caught a glance of Baekhyun leaning against a nearby tree, his gleaming red eyes fixed on me. There was a lack of amusement on his face, and I feared something bad had happened.

“Excuse me,” I told Jongin, leaving him off to experiment some more, and approached my soulmate. “What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t know you had become so close to the human male,” Baekhyun said, his lips pursed in protest. “If you’re so fascinated by the bomb, I could’ve made some for you too, you know.”

I blinked, feeling my heart thudding louder against my chest. I couldn’t believe this.

“Baekhyun, could you possibly be jealous again?” I asked. The corners of my lips formed an amused grin against my will.

“What? Don’t be ridiculous. I have no reason to be jealous of a measly boy,” he mumbled, looking away. “I just don’t think you realize the true extent of my abilities. You’d be more fascinated if you’d finally come to your senses.”

“I’m more fascinated by this jealousy you’re displaying,” I teased, cocking my head sideways. For once, it seemed like I got the upperhand between us. So I decided to test out this new power, daringly stretching my arm against the tree trunk on either side of him, trapping him in the way he always trapped me.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked, eyebrows raised with interest.

“Reassuring you that you don’t have anything to worry about,” I said, closing in to his mouth, letting my lips faintly brush over his, sending tingles and sparks all over me. “The only person I’m interested in is you.”

“And you’re trying to prove your point by seducing me?” Baekhyun asked, grinning in amusement.

“Is it working?” I nibbled at the bottom of his lips, watching his eyes turn hooded. I was so close to fully taking his lips, but part of the seduction game was to not give in to what he wanted.

“Most definitely. I can hardly restrain myself now,” Baekhyun rasped in a low tone that made my own resolve crumble. In one swift motion, he turned me around so that I’d be the one up against the tree now. He pressed himself against me entirely, guiding my leg to hook around him. One hand daringly moved under the slit of the skirt I had borrowed from the villagers. He trailed higher, pulling the skirt up with his movements, and slipped his hand under my pants to squeeze my ass. 

Before I could gulp in surprise or utter a protest, he crashed his lips against me, kissing me with so much want and need. When he said he could hardly contain himself, he wasn’t kidding. I could feel his bulge building against my crotch, and it made me moan into his kiss. His hand moved to my front, and before I knew it, he had his palm cupped against my clit, the sensation overwhelmingly cold. I was nervous with anticipation, knowing that one small movement would be the end of me.

“Baekhyun, we shouldn’t,” I rasped, knowing my logic was about to give away.

“Then stop me. Push me away and I shall stop,” he whispered, knowing full well I couldn’t. 

One naughty finger began to move, delving deeper into the walls of my clit. Before I could gasp out a lewd sound, he was quick to press his lips against mine again, muffling the sound into hushed mumbles. I knew I was already wet, giving him the ease to move his finger around in easy up and down strokes before switching to gentle circles. The slightest brush was enough to make me weak to the knees, and I held unto his arms for support when his movements quickened. 

God, I wanted him so much it was intoxicating. I wrapped my arms around his head, pushing him closer against my lips, not giving us a second to breath. One moment I was kissing his lips, and the other, I was sucking his tongue. Everything happened so fast. The feeling was so overwhelming I had unconsciously began to rock against his finger. How shameful.

“I can make you feel even better,” he whispered, a sinful offer I couldn’t possibly reject. I was already out of breath, my chest panting heavily as he broke the kiss. 

“How?” 

I thought of him inside me, but to my surprise, he never took off his pants. Instead, he lowered himself, knees hitting the grass, hands grabbing my hips. He moved the flap of my skirt sideways and teasingly hooked a finger around my panties, dragging it down.

“B-Baekhyun… Jongin’s right there. He can see us,” I said, eyes darting across. Jongin had his back on us, but one swift turn, and he’d have a full view of the action going on behind him.

Baekhyun grinned, twirled his hands, and immediately several bushes appeared to perfectly conceal us behind it.

“See how useful my abilities are?” he asked, the arrogance in him still wanting me to acknowledge him.

“Yes, Baekhyun. They are,” I complied breathily. Praising him was the least I could focus on when every single word he uttered caressed a warm breath over my core.

Satisfied, he continued his work. With my crotch fully exposed before him, he parted my legs wider and flicked out his tongue, slowly brushing it over my core, getting a taste of me. I shivered at the touch, not expecting it to feel this good when his tongue continuously grazed over my sensitive spot over and over again. It didn’t take long before he stopped his playful flicks and pushed his entire mouth to devour me.

The moment I failed to bite back my moans and ended up screaming in pleasure, another one of Jongin’s bombs exploded, perfectly concealing the very own explosion going off in my body.

***

By the time we returned to the village, the sun had already set. I was limping a little, unable to walk properly after all the sinful things Baekhyun did to me. I continuously combed my hair with my fingers, hoping no twigs or leaves had been stuck.

I glanced up at Baekhyun who had returned a few minutes earlier to make our act seem less suspicious. He was entirely composed, speaking to Junmyeon and several other men regarding our strategy to infiltrate the castle. When he looked up and met my eyes, he flashed me a knowing stare and smirked, clearly ready for another round if only time was on our side.

“Yeonji! What happened to you?” Ahreum approached, scanning me up and down. Her eyes widened in surprise seeing my outfit. “Your skirt is all torn at the side!”

“I… I tripped,” I lied, unable to tell her that Baekhyun may have gone a bit too overboard when he aggressively pulled my skirt up.

“That’s dangerous. We can’t afford you getting injured, especially after you recent recovery,” she cried woefully.

I was surprised she reserved this much concern for me. It had taken me days to fully heal from the injury. The physician’s medicine was a miracle worker, but they bore none of the vampire’s super speed healing effect that defied the boundaries of time. As we waited for my injuries to recover, we had finished formulating a strategy to infiltrate the castle. The plan was to attack tomorrow.

“Yeonji, would you like to have a meal with me?” Ahreum maintained a polite tone. Even if she were dressed in a rag, it could not conceal her nobility upbringing.

I nodded, and she led me to the big cauldron hanging over the campfire. While Ahreum scooped some of the beef stew into a wooden bowl, I sat down on the huge log facing the fire.

“How do you feel about tomorrow?” Ahreum carefully asked, taking the space beside me, passing the bowl to me.

“I’m not sure. I think I should be more scared, but Mira said this is the only way to win. She’s a prophetess, so surely it must be true, right?” I said, sipping the soup. Mira also professed that good things would follow me, and I was still waiting for that prophecy to be fulfilled.

“I do not doubt it. As long as we have you and the crown prince, we can win,” Ahreum said, elegantly sipping her soup. “We have the eximius on our side after all.”

My movement went completely still. “What’s that you said?”

“About winning?” 

“No, about the eximius,” I stuttered through my words. All information piled up in my head began to scatter around chaotically, trying to make sense of her sudden speech. “You know about it?”

“But of course. It is actually taboo to speak about it, but my family has passed down the tale for centuries now. It is somewhat of a token to preserve the legacy of my great great great grandmother who was an eximius herself.”

I blinked rapidly, completely shifting myself to face her. “Eximius is a person?”

Was this the truth? Both Mira and the text said that the eximius was a weapon of mass destruction that could be found in human blood. Was it wrong all along?

“Yes, a human, to be exact,” Ahreum replied.

“But if your great great great grandmother is an eximius, does that mean she was human?” I had so many questions I didn’t even know which ones to ask first. All this time I had been desperate to know the answer, and here was Lee Ahreum bearing passed down knowledge like an ancient family relic to be preserved.

“She was,” Ahreum smiled kindly at me. “I am the descendant of a human, but many generations have passed, which makes me a full vampire now.”

I couldn’t believe this. To think that centuries ago, humans and vampires had mated together despite the social judgements and mockery they would receive. It made me wonder how many vampires were actually offsprings from interacial marriages? 

“I really thought you would’ve known about this, Yeonji,” Ahreum continued, the fire flickering over her face as I fully turned my attention on her. “You are, after all, an eximius yourself.”

My heart stopped. 

“What?”

“Oh, I thought you knew since you seemed familiar with the topic,” Ahreum said.

“No. I only know that an eximius is a weapon of mass destruction found in human blood and that it has supposedly gone extinct,” I stammered, trying to make sense of my readings and her words.

Ahreum laughed. “Eximius can’t go extinct. It is not something that can be determined by bloodline or genetics. It is a gift given by the fates, the very same fates who has bound you to the crown prince.”

I was at a complete loss, looking up at her with furrowed brows and unhinged jaw. The fact that everyone knew we were soulmates was no longer a surprise. I was, however, surprised at her confidence when relaying this information. She didn’t doubt her beliefs.

“Then… How do you know I’m an eximius?” 

“Because humans and vampires cannot be bound as soulmates, _unless_ the human is an eximius,” Ahreum explained. “Being an eximius means that you have a special type of blood.”

I remembered reading about the different blood types and their effect in Minseok’s text. That was also where I had first encountered the word eximius. Had it referred to a blood type all along?

“You must be aware that vampires are no longer allowed to practice blood drinking. But do you know why it is forbidden?” Ahreum asked.

I quickly shook my head. It was one of those norms I had grown up hearing that I never even bothered questioning it. I knew human blood could intoxicate a vampire, but it didn’t pose imminent danger. So why was it forbidden? Would it really allow a vampire to possess one’s body, or was it another error in my research?

“Because human blood strengthens a vampire’s power,” Ahreum answered, setting her bowl of soup down, too immersed in her tale to continue. “In the past, when blood drinking had not been banned, vampires became more and more powerful. They treated humans like food, and the human race was on the verge of extinction. The king, knowing he could be overpowered if the vampires continued, immediately made a law to forbid such practice. Anyone caught would face immediate death.”

I let the story seep in my head. Over time, abstaining from such acts had become the status quo. Drinking human blood was another part of some fabled tale. The truth was never unveiled to keep the balance and save humanity. So the part about possessing the person they drank from was wrong, but I didn’t know whether this revelation made it any better.

“But how does that make me an eximius? It sounds like drinking _any_ human blood could make a vampire more powerful,” I continued asking, unable to wrap my head around this concept.

“You don’t understand, Yeonji.” Ahreum shook her hand and grabbed my hands. “An eximius has a special type of blood that is equivalent to drinking a hundred human blood, but only if it is consumed by the soulmate.”

Things finally began to click in me.

“Thus a weapon of mass destruction,” I stammered, and Ahreum nodded.

Everything was starting to make sense. I was human, but because I had a special type of blood, I was able to be bound to Baekhyun. If Baekhyun drank my blood, he’d become more powerful.

I gasped. This was why Baekhyun’s power had began changing; why the objects he created lasted longer than his usual one or two hours limit. Everytime the phenomenon occurred, he had always consumed some of my blood, even if it were a mere lick to clean my wounds. 

If a small taste intensified his power to this extent, how much more powerful would he be if he actually drank my blood? How limitless would his strength bear? Together, _we_ were the weapon of mass destruction.

It was as the king has said. The soulmate bond made us stronger. Perhaps he had known about the eximius as well. Even Mira had said that our bond would power Baekhyun beyond a vampire’s usual limit. He may become the most powerful vampire in existence.

This was our key to victory.

“But with great power comes great consequences,” Ahreum interrupted, a threat of warning in her voice. “Yeonji, I am telling you this to prevent the crown prince from drinking your blood.”

“Why? This sounds like a great way to overthrow Minseok,” I said, a little too excited at the revelation.

“There is another reason why blood drinking was banned. You see, it is true that human blood can intoxicate a vampire. But without self control, the vampire wouldn’t be able to stop him or herself from consuming more and more blood. This could either result in the human dying due to lack of blood, or for the vampire to lose his sanity and go berserk, thus turning them into a monster.”

I dropped the spoon against the bowl, sagging my shoulders as I leaned back. As quickly as I had my hopes risen, they had also fallen. It didn’t matter whether I was an eximius or not, drinking my blood was too risky. I didn’t want us to win at the cost of losing Baekhyun.

“Have you ever heard of a potion that can break a soulmate bond?” I asked quietly, all excitement gone from my voice.

Ahreum blinked in surprise. “I am surprised you know of it. My ancestors had mentioned it in one of their tales. It is a potion made by the elderberries and nerium oleander, two of the most dangerous fauna in existence.”

I gulped, realizing I was carrying the two deadly ingredients in the sheath tied along my thigh.

“However, when combined with the drop of blood from its carrier, the toxic cancels each other out and instead becomes a red colored potion that can cancel the soulmate bond,” Ahreum continued explaining. “At least, that was the simple version of it. My ancestors talked of a more complicated procedure which I can’t recall.”

If what she was telling me was true, then Minseok hadn’t been lying. The potion I carried could truly break my bond.

I released a deep exaggerated breath, trying my best to conceal my worried frown with a cheery front. “Well, thank you for your knowledge, Ahreum. It certainly cleared up a lot of my questions.”

“You’re most welcome, Yeonji.”

I placed the empty bowl down and got up on my feet, ready to leave the scene and try to sort out my thoughts. But as I stretched and turned around, I realized that Baekhyun had been leaning against a nearby tree, his hands folded, his face conflicted. 

He heard everything.

And when he turned to meet my gaze, I saw the same loss and confusion reflected in his eyes. For once, despite already having constructed a plan, we both didn’t know what to do.


	29. Rescue

Today, we'd infiltrate the castle. 

Over the course of a week, the preparations were finally complete. We took every fighter in the village with us—both vampires and humans—walking in unison as Jongin led us through the forest path he was most familiar with. Neither I nor Baekhyun recognized the road where we had come from. Everything looked the same. And maybe, we never bothered to look. 

Standing at the very back of the pack, I couldn't stop thinking about Ahreum's revelation regarding the eximius. It was a guaranteed way for victory, but of course, every solution came with dire consequences.

"You're thinking too much," Baekhyun's voice interrupted my thoughts. He laced his hand with mine, fingers closely intertwined as if he was afraid something bad would happen if he let go. "We can win without me having to drink your blood."

"But what if something happens?" I asked, slowly realizing the roots of my actual concern.

What if I wasn't worried to lose him over drinking my blood, but rather, worried that I'd lose him because he _didn't_ drink my blood? What if something dangerous happened to him—something that could've been prevented if he had a small sip of my blood? I was his shield. I was his protection. If I couldn't use my eximius blood to protect him, then what good does it do?

"You really believe we wouldn't be able to overtake my brother and his men?" Baekhyun asked, his eyebrows tilted in a chide. His own arrogance was starting to cloud his judgement.

"I have worked with Minseok for years and I know he isn't to be underestimated. By this time, I am certain he has convinced many of the citizens and honored guests to join him against us."

"I know, my father told me," Baekhyun said, referring to his father's telepathic abilities. The king had continued to communicate with Baekhyun in their time apart and gave us intel on the condition of the castle. We managed to form a strategy based on these information. Our main priority was to save the people who were captured and thrown in prison. Several others were allowed to roam freely, mainly the innocent bystanders such as the human servant.

"Baek," I pulled him by the arm and placed myself before his path. "All I'm saying is that we need to prepare for the worst case scenario. If something happens to either one of us, or to any of our friends, I want you to drink my blood."

His eyes went grim, the red pupil gleaming at me with protest. "I could lose my sanity and you could die."

" _Could_ ," I emphasized the one word of probability in his sentence. My hands grazed his cheeks, pulling him closer. “But I know it won't be like that, Baek. You wouldn't let anything bad happen to me. I trust you."

His eyes flickered frantically. A frown settled between his brow. "You trust me too much, sweetheart. Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to restrain myself whenever you were bleeding? Yes, I was hurt because you were injured, but the vampire in me desired your blood. Now that I have gotten a taste of it, I do not trust myself to stop once you ask me to drink more."

I never knew he was battling his own desires whenever he saw my blood—not when he seemed to exercise so much self-control. He had never hurt me, and I believed he never would. But I had never known the vampires of the past, the ones who were portrayed as demons of the night, hunters of the blood, and killers of humans. Though I trusted my soulmate, the wiser choice was to heed to Ahreum's warning.

"Worse comes to worse, you must drink my blood," I boldly stated, my hands pressing on his face. “I am ready to die for you.”

For the first time, Baekhyun tilted his eyebrow and emitted a chuckle. "Sweetheart, have you forgotten? If you die, then I die. There's no either or."

Junmyeon called out to him then, and he released himself from my hold to head over to his friend. I pondered upon his words. My mind was filled with numerous questions about the eximius, none of which had an answer to unless tested itself.

Baekhyun was wrong. There _was_ a way for me to die without him having to follow along, even if it risked being a hoax.

When no one was looking, I took out the vial containing the deep red liquid I had hidden inside my top. I bit the skin of my thumb, watching the blood pooling immediately. I let it drip into the potion and the deep red color morph into a darker shade of mahogany.

Anything could happen at the battlefield. If our soulmate bond can’t help us, I wondered if the enemy could use it against us. Just to be safe, I had to prepare myself for both situations.

***

We stopped in front of a river that separated the castle walls from the forest and the outside town minutes later. The only way in was through the bridge at the front that were guarded by numerous men.

“There is an opening by the stable, one which is connected to the prison cells,” Jongin instructed, relaying the information we had obtained by combining both our knowledge together. Being the stable boy, he knew of the hidden paths needed to transport the royal horses out, which happened to be our way in. Once inside, it was my expertise of having memorized the castle’s floorplan that came in handy. Besides, I had been in the prison cells myself and knew my way around.

“The only problem is, how can we cross this river?” Ahreum asked, watching the deep expanse of the river that stretched for several feet. She and several others had not been fully briefed of our plan.

“Fear not, _sweetheart_. We have a solution to every problem,” Jongin said mightily, but immediately cowered when he felt Baekhyun’s dark glare on him. “A-Am I not allowed to use the same nickname? Sorry, I thought it sounded good when you called Yeonji that way, so I wanted to try it out.”

“Try an alternative,” Baekhyun mumbled, and despite the imminent danger awaiting us, I couldn’t help myself from wanting to tease my soulmate. Who knew he’d be the type to get jealous over small things like this?

“Alright, _pumpkin pie_ ,” Jongin amended, and we inwardly slapped our forehead at the cringeworthy substitute, “Junmyeon is our way out, or should I say, he’s our way _in_?”

As we rolled our eyes, Ahreum was the only one to laugh at his sense of humor. What a nice pair. 

Junmyeon took his position in front of us, semi squatting while widening his feet apart. He took a deep breath and began to move. The elegance of his relatively slow movements was a martial arts form I immediately recognized.

“Tai chi.” 

It had been years since I saw it from up close. In the past, some vampires in Minseok’s troupe who were elementalist adapted this method. Sehun was originally supposed to learn tai chi as well, but after I beat him during one of our mock battles, he insisted on a more aggressive technique, thus adopting his whip.

Junmyeon maintained his concentration, controlling his breathing the entire way. As he moved his arms and body along to the flow of a water current, the river began to tremble. It didn’t take long before it began to part into two, leaving a dry pathway towards the stable. It was small enough to remain undetected by the guards at the front, and big enough to fit all of us through.

“You can part the entire bed of water and all the king ever asked you to do is to splash water into fireworks?” I asked, shaking my head. Another talent wasted.

“It’s called liquid manipulation,” Junmyeon corrected, taking on his normal stance with his arms resting at the side of his hips. He exhaled a deep and long breath to end his move. “And well, the future king has better things in store for me.”

“As I am sure the future queen shall agree on,” Baekhyun said, sharing a meaningful glance with me. He offered me his hand, and when I placed mine in his, Baekhyun led all of us to cross the river. 

Once inside the stable, the horses somehow seemed to recognize Jongin. They neighed and danced, as if welcoming the return of their caretaker. I couldn’t help but notice the horses' silky smooth manes.

“Ssh, you’re gonna give us away,” Jongin hushed the horses, keeping a finger to his lips as if it would silence the horses. Amazingly, their neighing ceased. If he weren’t a genius bomb maker, I think he’d be a pretty skilled animal tamer.

“This way,” I stopped my fascination and sprang to the front of the group.

It was now my turn to lead them towards the cells, a path I had memorized based on the floor plans. These underground paths were somewhat of a maze, but I was confident to reach our destination in time.

We moved as silent and quick as possible—our steps like the springs of a feather. The tip of our feet barely touched the floor as we sprang forward.

I held a hand up, carefully looking over the small window patch on the prison door. There were about five guards or so, and I signalled the others using my hands.

“We’re going for a direct ambush,” I said, and with another cue, burst right inside the prison cell.

All guards looked up, but so did every single prisoner. Among them, I spotted Mira, Lay, Jongdae, and Jihye. Their faces were swollen and beaten, their bodies scarred and injured. Lay couldn’t heal them when he himself was weakened to this pathetic state. 

A part of me was glad to see Heejin hadn’t been thrown in with them, but in a sense it made me worry more. Being with Minseok was just as terrifying.

“Yeonji, watch out from above!” Mira yelled.

And I didn’t know whether it was her ability to see the future or whether I had lost focus, but seconds after I rolled over sideways, I watched a panel of the ceiling come undone, falling right unto the spot where I had been standing in. Had she not warned me before time, I would’ve been smashed.

“Silence, seer!” A guard yelled, pointing a finger to Mira. The seer continued to mouth something, surprised at her inability to vocalize her words. Well, what do you know? He had the power to literally take a person’s voice away and silence them. 

“Perhaps you’d like to know how it feels like without one of _your_ senses. Disable, sight,” Ahreum appeared, swaying a palm over her eyes, covering her own sight. A second later, she removed her hand, and the guard was screaming about having gone blind.

I exchanged a look with her, grinning proudly. The guard may have been able to silence people, but Ahreum had the ability to disable _any_ of the five senses she wanted. Now that the guard was blinded, it was easier for me to try and snatch the key from his belt.

The moment I stretched my hand, another guard appeared holding a long spear, ready to slice my hand off. His movements were too fast for me to retract my hand. 

And right as I felt a slice of its tip against my hand, the guard let out a yell, suddenly yanked backwards as his entire body propelled against the wall. I looked up, seeing a rope constricted around his neck, stretched over a hook against the ceiling, using it as a lever to pull him back.

I immediately turned sideways, unable to stop myself from smiling at my soulmate, whom in the midst of fighting his own battle, managed to still watch over me and rescue me. But this was no time to fawn over him.

Quickly, I grabbed the key from the blinded guard and walked over to the prison cell, jamming the key into place.

“Are you guys alright?”

“Aside from being dehydrated, hungry, and nearly dead? Yeah, we’re fine,” Jongdae said.

When the prison door opened, I noticed that all four of them eyed the cut on my arm, a pool of blood on the verge of dripping. I gulped. Jongdae did say they were hungry. And though blood drinking was forbidden, I doubted hungry vampires were keen on following the rules.

“Lay, heal her,” Baekhyun’s voice bellowed over everyone’s grunts and battle cries.

Lay shook his head, snapping out from whatever trance his hunger and my blood had caused. He quickly raised his handcuffed hands, using the small strength of energy left. His fingers danced as strings of white orbs appeared, slowly closing the wound on my arm, concealing the blood.

“Thanks, Lay,” I said. “We need to move and—”

My words halted while turning around, seeing a guard swinging a gigantic battle axe at me. He shouted, and in that moment of panic, I knew I couldn’t take my dagger or try any sort of self defense in time. Baekhyun and the others were busy getting pounded by a sudden increase in the number of guards. The ones behind me were too busy unlocking the handcuffs to switch to immediate offense.

Was this it? Was I going to die by some unknown vampire guard? My brain tried to think of another alternative, but there was no time. In the end, I was still mortal, and this was my weakness.

The moment I pathetically grabbed my dagger despite knowing it would do nothing other than provide me a false feeling of momentary comfort, another cry was heard from the side. I looked up, seeing another guard shove the assailant aside using his entire body, knocking him down onto the floor.

I blinked, watching the tall guard whose face was buried behind the knight armor, wondering who it was.

“Now we’re even, Your Highness.”

My heart quickened. There was only one person who called me Your Highness despite me not being born of royalty or wed to a royal. Someone I hadn’t killed while I had the chance to because I chose to practice Baekhyun’s ideals of redemption. He was right. Bestowing mercy could gain people’s loyalty in some way.

“Thanks, Chanyeol,” I whispered, just audible enough for him to catch it.

The guard flinched, his metal armor jerking at the slightest movement, as if not expecting I’d be able to recognize him. He said no more and headed out, probably trying to create an alibi for himself.

“You should be more careful,” Jihye’s snarky tone called out. She had the most sour expression on her face, protruding her red lips while glaring me down. “I did not save you and let myself get captured for you to die by the hands of some lowly guard.”

Despite her harsh words, I knew she wasn’t mocking me. Could this be her way of trying to encourage me? A savage way, but since I felt riled up, I suppose it was working.

“Aw, thanks for your concern, but it’s gonna take more than that to kill me.” I grinned. Like Mira said, great things would follow wherever I go, and I started to realize that great things could refer to my comrades. As long as we helped one another, the tides were in our favor.

“Everyone good?” Jongin’s voice barked up after successfully freeing everyone from the handcuffs.

I looked around, seeing that we had accomplished our first goal. We rescued the ones who were prisoned—some had decided to run away rather than stay with us. Baekhyun and the other fighters had tied up all the guards, deeming them unable to move or chase after us.

“Good,” Mira replied, glad to have her voice back. She gently massaged her throat while continuing. “Prince Minseok knows you’re here. He awaits you at the throne room.”

“Aw, no ambushes,” Jongin wailed.

“My father is with him,” Baekhyun said, eyes narrowing. “He’s weaker. I can no longer hear his voice in my head.”

Though I had no answer, I saw the change in Mira’s face. She must know something. She must’ve seen the future. The king was dying. We had to hurry.

“No time to waste,” Baekhyun spoke, the authority punctuated in his tone. He looked at us once before heading out. “Let’s go.”

We didn’t know how many men Minseok had, or what their power were, but hopefully, the bunch of us together would be enough to defeat him.


	30. Throne

We walked in front, Baekhyun and I. We trusted the others to follow us—to stay and fight even if unforeseen dangers might result in unfavorable outcomes. The shuffling of their steps were comforting in a sense, but I heard the panic in each stride, like everyone was restless to get things over with.

Knowing Minseok was expecting us, we decided to pass the hallway right into the throne room. Numerous guards eyed us, a cruel smirk tugging on their lips. They must be thinking we’d be dead in a few minutes. None moved to stop us, too confident that their new leader would.

Baekhyun halted in front of the room, his hands frozen on the golden handle. He eyed me once, and I looked back at him, too anxious to offer him a small nod of reassurance. Now that the battle was before us, none of our plans seemed to matter anymore. Anything could change during a bloodbath.

He pushed the door open, displaying feigned confidence in his light steps. The rest of us followed inside, surveilling the place. We weren’t met by a hundred guards as we had expected, only finding a few stationed at both sides of the room.

In the center of the room, seated on the throne he did not own, was Minseok. On his left was Heejin, dressed in a silky maroon gown, more elaborate than any of the servant dresses she had ever worn. Her hair was braided to the side, looking every bit like a princess. Her status had been elevated, and I wondered whether Minseok actually loved her enough to make her his queen. 

“Yeonji!” Her eyes sparkled in delight when seeing me, but once Minseok raised a hand, she ceased her intention to come over.

Right behind them, I noticed the head of the kitchen staff, Do Kyungsoo. He looked a little out of place, but even he had upgraded his attire to a long coat made of silk and gold. I wondered whether he had been swayed by Minseok’s empty promises of false promotions.

On the right sat the king, except that he was barely sitting. He was tilted in an awkward manner, like his body was about to fall down, but was forcefully stopped in the middle of it—a weird sight that defied gravity. Was Minseok’s power controlling his body, rendering him motionless without the aid of ropes or chains? If it were truly Minseok, then he must’ve somehow gotten powerful in this short period of time. But how?

The king looked paler since I last saw him, his face seemingly aging another few decades. Every strand of his hair had turned white, and the crown hung crooked over his head, nearly falling. He didn’t seem to register we had entered.

“Brother! At last, you have returned to us,” Minseok greeted, spreading his arms with the illusion of a warm welcome. Despite his gentle smile, I could only think of the diabolical plans shifting in his mind. He would try to kill either me or Baekhyun, and we had to prevent it from happening until we defeated him.

“I have no plans of abandoning what is rightfully mine,” Baekhyun said. His earlier worry was perfectly concealed behind his wicked grin and the cruel glimmer in his eyes. “Though I appreciate you keeping my throne warm during my absence, I am ready to reclaim it.”

Minseok laughed, a piercing and sinister sound that seemed to resonate with the devil’s laughter itself. “Brother, this throne belongs to the bearer of the crown, and as far as I know, father has not coronated you.”

“Neither will he coronate you,” Baekhyun said.

“Truly?” Minseok’s eyes gleamed with excitement. He began moving his hands, fingers weaving to form different patterns and shapes, inducing his power.

All of a sudden, the king jerked up from his slumped up position as if an invisible force pulled him up, slamming his back against the seat. His neck crooked to one side, lulled out of place, defying the human anatomy. He then stood up, one leg bent awkwardly as if the bones could no longer sustain him. And though he was not supposed to be able to steady himself in the odd position, he remained standing.

It was then that I realized, that the king’s chest hadn’t been moving since we entered.

“Baek… Is he…” I gasped, my trembling hands quickly covering my mouth. “Is he dead?”

Before Baekhyun could refute my words, Minseok’s screeching laughter sliced through the panic suffocating the room.

“Yeonji, you have always been one of my best, but I expected you to make the observation as soon as you entered the room. I taught you better than that.”

I felt the stares of some of our comrades, each questioning Minseok’s statement. They began to realize that I had once been a part of Minseok’s army, and suddenly, I was no longer someone they could trust. In their eyes, I might be a spy or a traitor.

“You killed father?” Baekhyun bellowed, realizing the reality of the situation we were in.

“No, I didn’t kill him when he was already dying to begin with,” Minseok said, casually swatting the idea away. But then his playful demeanor disappeared, and the dark grin appeared. “I merely helped him speed up the process.”

That was why Baekhyun hadn’t been able to listen to the king’s voice lately. I had misinterpreted Mira’s look of discomfort. During our absence, the king had already passed, and she knew we had been too late.

“However, our father deems to be more useful in his death. He will crown me king, after all,” Minseok continued, and he began moving his fingers again.

My mouth fell open when the king took the crown from his head, holding it with loose fingers before rotating his upper torso towards his murderer, though his feet remained intact. The sound of cracking bones accompanied the eerie movement.

I couldn’t believe it. Minseok was controlling the dead like a puppet.

“Do you like my new trick?” He asked, noticing the surprise in my face. 

“H-How? You’re not supposed to be able to have such powers,” I said. Our strategies and plans stood no chance against this unexpected twist. If he could control the death, he’d have a huge army at his disposal. There had to be a weakness.

“Well, you got your dear human friend to thank,” Minseok said, reaching a hand out to Heejin. She stood up, twirled into his arm, and let herself fall right into his lap, a move I couldn’t decipher as her own or Minseok’s control. 

Right in front of his audience, Minseok pulled her dress down, tearing apart the part covering her neck while his other hand massaged her breast. He began planting small kisses on Heejin’s neck, and her lewd moans soon filled the room.

Was he actually fondling her in front of all of us? I was about to bellow another protest when suddenly, I realized the truth of his public performance.

It happened in the blink of an eye, but I noticed a glimpse of his white fangs. He wasn’t kissing her neck; he was drinking her blood. 

A vampire was drinking human blood.

_“Because human blood strengthens a vampire’s power.”_

I remembered Ahreum’s words vividly in my head, and suddenly, everything started to make sense. Minseok’s research had led to this. He must’ve known that human blood could strengthen him. Was that why he was so keen on rescuing the human kind? Not because he cared for us, but because he wanted an endless supply of blood bags to drink from?

Then I remembered the numerous hickeys on Heejin’s neck, the fresh new ones she had gotten everytime she exited Minseok’s room. How had I been so stupid to miss it? Those weren’t hickeys, those were bite marks. Everytime they frolicked in his room, he was drinking her up. He became stronger and stronger each time. He never loved Heejin—he used her.

“Let go of her, you sick bastard!” I yelled, wanting to spring forward, but the guards were quick to retrieve their swords, aiming at me with eerie synchronization.

“I could, but I don’t think she wants to,” Minseok said.

Heejin was writhing on Minseok’s lap, practically begging for more of his touch. When he stopped sucking her to address me, her hands desperately clasped to his cheeks, searching his lips. Minseok was eager to oblige, giving everyone a private show when he delved his tongue in her mouth. His hands dipped lower to between her thighs, moving his fingers in a way that had her screaming in pleasure. It didn’t take long before his lips were back on her neck, sucking her again. Drinking her.

“He’s going to kill her,” Ahreum said, the panic striking her voice. “A vampire could get intoxicated by human blood, but humans are just as addicted to a vampire’s touch.”

That probably explained why I had always lost my resolve whenever Baekhyun touched me, but he had enough self control not to hurt me. In Minseok’s case, I doubted he even cared for Heejin in the first place.

“Baek, give me something to throw at him.” I held my hand out, and immediately, he made me some shurikens, each shaped like a deadly snowflake. Immediately, I threw each star with precision, aiming for his face. To our surprise, the objects stopped midway in the air. Impossible, Minseok couldn’t control the movement of objects.

But then we turned our heads sideways, realizing that one of the guards had his hands stretched out. Clamping his fists, the shurikens fell idle to the floor. He turned to us, revealing his identity as someone we were all familiar with.

But of course. Chanyeol could control metal, thus bearing the ability to stop my movement. He may have saved me ones in the cell, but I supposed his true allegiance was with the traitor.

“Baek, find an alternative to using metal,” I said.

“Try copper or bronze,” Jongin suggested.

Baekhyun moved his fingers, and shurikens made of copper and bronze immediately appeared in his hand. They didn’t look as sturdy as the metal ones, but at least Chanyeol wouldn’t be able to block it. With these new weapons, I ran towards the throne.

“Oh, you want to fight, is it?” Minseok asked, licking the trail of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. “Well then, everyone, attack.”

All of a sudden, the throne room began to tremble. The guards stationed in the room had doubled in numbers, and they began multiplying. It didn’t take long before we were outnumbered by the hundreds of men appearing out of thin air. Perhaps someone had used their power to conceal these men, or duplicated them to give us an illusion, but it made our victory harder to attain.

“Ah!” Heejin suddenly yelled, and no longer was she blushing like a besotted woman. The frown of pleasure turned into that of pain, and instead of struggling to keep Minseok close, she tried to keep him away. “No… Minseok… It hurts…”

I felt my anger boiling, and as if Baekhyun could sense that I was going for a direct attack, he threw me a copper sword and a bronze dagger as an alternative for my own. I took them and charged forward once again.

“Prevent my brother from getting crowned,” Baekhyun commanded as everyone got in position, adapting a stance of self defense. “We fight for the throne.”

Our friends let out a battle cry, and soon, the room was a mess. A wisp of mist barely reached me, and I didn’t have to look backwards to know Junmyeon must’ve told Jihye about the need to conceal the enemy’s sight. Frustrated cries were heard from here and there, each man trapped in Jihye’s mist of cloud.

My focus was on saving Heejin. I dodged a vampire trying to freeze me with his touch of ice and ducked from another who tried to electrocute me. Every step brought me closer to Minseok.

Heejin fought to open her eyes, and seeing me, her lips curled into the faintest sight of a smile. A weak arm stretched out to me, trembling, boney. 

The healthy color had drained from her face. She was starting to look like a vampire due to lack of blood circulation. In fact, she seemed to have gotten thinner, her skin beginning to sag and wrinkle like dried up plums. 

“Yeonji…” her voice was frail and weak, and I was afraid I wouldn’t make it in time.

Suddenly, the throne began to shake, each move more vigorous than before, and then it smashed Minseok and Heejin to the ground, forcing Minseok to cease his blood drinking.

“I won’t let you hurt an innocent human, brother,” Baekhyun said, and shifted the throne again to knock Minseok over with its edge. 

A flash then appeared, too quick for my eyes to follow. Once, Heejin was sprawled on the floor, and then she was gone. Only Minseok, Kyungsoo, and the king’s lifeless body remained.

“My youngest brother, I did not think you would choose sides,” Minseok said, and while crouched on the floor, he held his arm up, using his powers to stop Jongdae in the middle of his tracks.

Jongdae was carrying Heejin in his arms, intending to escape, but his agility was easily cancelled by Minseok’s strength. 

“And I did not think you’d feast on a human buffet. It does not sit right with me,” Jongin suddenly said, appearing from the side to throw some bombs at Minseok. The move was unexpected, and caught him off guard. A blast of smoke appeared, and though it couldn’t defeat him, it bought us some time.

Jongdae regained his control and continued speeding off, bringing Heejin towards Lay who was busy healing one of our injured comrades. Looking at the battlefield, I realized that many men were sprawled on the floor, injured, bleeding, and dead. Minseok kept us occupied while his men diminished our number.

A hysterical cackle ripped through the air once more, as if to mock that we had all walked into his trap.

Once the smoke from Jongin’s bombs cleared up, we didn’t see Minseok, but rather, the king. He was crouched on the floor, using his body as a shield to cover Minseok. His royal mantel was torn, and parts of his flesh was exposed. His arched back was filled with bloody holes. Hollow gaps delves into his skin, revealing red meat, scorched flesh, and fresh blood. It dripped everywhere from his head to his body. 

“Minseok! How dare you harm and disrespect father even in his death?” Baekhyun shouted, and I could feel the anger building in him. He made spears appear in thin air, a dozen of them shooting towards Minseok at rapid speed.

Minseok smiled, flicking his finger to control the king. In an instant, the king stood in front of his eldest son with his arms spread wide, willingly letting the spears pierce through him. The sharp tips squirmed through his skin, stabbing him before Baekhyun managed to stop the attack.

“No!” Baekhyun yelled, trembling at his own mistake. He didn’t think his brother would be cruel enough to do this, but Minseok’s diabolical cackle was mocking, deprived of any emotions, and pure evil.

Despite Baekhyun’s guilt, it was Junmyeon who stepped up. He took on his offensive pose, legs bent and arms sprawled forward, moving his hands to maintain the peaceful rhythm despite the chaos surrounding us. The blood of the king began to tremble, and I remembered his powers to manipulate liquid. I supposed that included blood. The moment Junmyeon flipped his palm around, the blood splashed upwards, forming the edge of a sharp dagger to stab Minseok with.

“Disable, sight,” Ahreum’s voice resonated, and soon, Minseok was stripped off his vision, unable to stop Junmyeon’s movement.

This was it. In his defenseless state, it was the perfect time to attack. We needed something to finish this once and for all before he regained his strength. We needed a fool proof key to victory.

And then I remembered.

“Baekhyun, make me a silver dagger,” I urged. A silver dagger impaled to the vampire’s heart was a definite way to stop them.

Baekhyun’s eyes widened in aghast. “You can’t kill my brother.”

“Would you rather he kill everyone else?” I asked, flinging my arm around the room to open his eyes to the number of people we had already lost. Though Baekhyun loved mercy, sometimes we needed to sacrifice someone in order to save everyone else.

Baekhyun seemed conflicted before he squeezed his eyes and reluctantly conjured a silver dagger per my request. He did not speak another word, knowing there was no point in arguing when our chance of winning dissipated by the second.

I leaped forward, watching as Junmyeon shot his hands up, controlling the movement of the sharpened blood to jut upwards at Minseok. If we timed this well, I could plunge the silver dagger right in his moment of defenselessness.

I ran faster and faster, my eyes on the target. But right as the blood was about to hit Minseok, it suddenly dispersed and evaporated into a cloud of mist. 

Mist? Was this Jihye’s doing? Did she betray us?

But my breath stuttered when Kyungsoo stepped forward, pushing Minseok out of the way of danger while skillfully kicking a splash of the king’s blood towards us.

When small drops hit Jongin, he immediately began to yell. Looking down at his arm, the blood had eerily managed to create a hole in his flesh. But no, vampire blood bore no such powers. It didn’t even have the iron stench of blood. It was a different matter entirely.

“Hydrofluoric acid,” Kyungsoo calmly spoke, answering the question in my mind. “It can dissolve through human flesh, though I suppose a vampire isn’t immune to it either.”

He swung his legs once again, aiming the king’s blood in my direction this time. But before I had a chance to evade the attack, the droplets stopped in front of me. From close up, I noticed the droplets were no longer red or blooded, but a colorless fuming liquid.

“Fluid transformation,” Junmyeon said, and I watched as he used his hands to stop the liquid from hitting me. Hydrofluoric acid was still liquid, and therefore, Junmyeon had control over it. “Kyungsoo has the ability to change fluid into any other liquid matter.”

“A skill the king uses to change the flavor of the royal meal,” Kyungsoo said, and when Junmyeon swung the acid back at him, he quickly transformed it back to regular water, letting the water droplets splash him. “Prince Minseok asked me to make poisons for him, an offer far more appealing than kitchen work.”

I gasped. He created the poison for Baekhyun. I never questioned where it had come from, but I now understood it had been Kyungsoo’s doing. And as the head of the kitchen staff, it was easy for him to change the matter of any liquid right after the testers had done their job. 

Was this how the queen died as well? Had he changed the tea Minseok brought her into something poisonous? Had he also poisoned the king? Was he the one who created the potion to break the soulmate bond?

Well, I had all the more reason to finish Minseok off now. With his sight still blinded, and Kyungsoo distracted by the others, I took this chance to slip by unnoticed and headed straight for Minseok’s heart.

But plans never worked out the way I wanted them to. In the mere seconds I closed in to my target, everything happened to change so quickly. I heard Ahreum scream when one of Minseok’s men attacked her from behind, followed by Jongin’s worried shout as he tried to catch her before she fell. Minseok regained his sight the moment I appeared before him, my arms angling the silver dagger towards his chest.

Before I went for the thrust, I stepped into the puddle of the king’s blood. I lost my balance from its slippery wetness, feeling myself falling backwards in the most crucial moment.

“Yeonji!” Baekhyun cried, but before I toppled over, my body went stiff midair, stopping at an angle that shouldn’t be possible.

“Uh oh, don’t want you to injure yourself now, don’t we?” Minseok mumbled, easily holding my entire body still. “Kyungsoo, if you’d be kind enough to assist me?”

The blood by my feet soon changed shape, turning into ice that made me unable to move. Minseok took the silver dagger from my hand, and in one swift motion, gathered whatever weapons I had on me, like metals drawn to magnet. I was weaponless in an instant.

“Don’t touch her!” Baekhyun screamed, moving his hands to create something, but suddenly, he went perfectly still. In fact, all of my friends in the room were immobilized, struggling against an invisible rope chained around their body. Minseok had gotten more powerful since drinking Heejin’s blood and could control the movement of more than one person.

“Brother, if you possess valuable things, you must share it with your family,” Minseok said, giving me a small push to steady me upwards. “After all, the eximius was mine to begin with until you stole her away.”

My head jerked toward him. “You knew?”

“I knew since the very start. There was something different about your blood the night I killed your family.”

Something broke inside me. Minseok was the one who killed my parents? I thought I was an orphan because my parents abandoned me. I never truly spared them a thought. I blindly followed Minseok thinking he was my savior when I had no one left. Turned out, he was the devil who took everyone from me. 

“I couldn’t kill you even if I tried. But then I had a brilliant idea. I could raise you as one of my own people and gain your trust so that you’d voluntarily let me drink your blood,” Minseok said, his breath bringing a chill to my neck. He plunged his lips against my exposed neck, sucking on the folds of my skin, nipping the nape of my neck, making me sick to the core.

“Lay your hands off of her!” Baekhyun growled, his red eyes dark with fury as he watched his brother touch me. Even so, he was unable to break free from Minseok’s power. 

“And yet, dear Yeonji, you betray my kindness by sleeping with my brother, even falling for him. Humans are so ungrateful,” Minseok continued his soliloquy, his hands moving to knead my breast, a glint of dark amusement in his eyes seeing Baekhyun all worked up.

I scrunched my eyes shut, hating myself for not being able to do anything. I continued to project strength into my movement, willing my arms to move, to remove his disgusting touch from me. Then I felt it. A twitch in my finger. Minseok’s power was loosening. He was powerful, but not powerful enough to control this many people in one room for a long time. There was a time limit to his power.

“Heejin’s blood was delicious, but I’ve always wondered what an eximius’ blood would taste like,” Minseok said, licking his lips.

“It’s not going to work on you! Only her soulmate will benefit from its effect,” Ahreum interrupted.

“Oh? But that’s not what the ancient books said. An eximius has special blood to strengthen a vampire, and _anyone_ can enjoy its power,” Minseok corrected, speaking of the knowledge he had collected in secrecy over the years. “But of course, it’d be better to directly test out my theories.”

Minseok clawed at my hair, pulling my head backwards with force. The tip of his fang grazed my skin in light brushes while I felt every blow of his warm breath. Then, he plunged his teeth in my neck. It was like being stabbed by a knife, like having my skin sliced open and my meat churned. The pain made me yell, and out of instinct, I moved my arms to elbow him in the stomach.

I could move.

He coughed, flinching backwards, surprised I was no longer under his control. In an instant, I twirled around, my hands reaching for the silver dagger he stored between his belt. Once my fingers touched its tip, I nearly tumbled over, remembering my feet still stuck in the gooey substance.

“I’ve taught you everything you know, Yeonji. You can’t outsmart me,” Minseok said, taking the silver dagger from his belt, twirling it in his hand to mock me. “You’ve always been reckless and I can’t risk your rebelion. I will drink your blood and kill you off.”

He readjusted his grip on the dagger, holding my arms behind me using his other free hand. I could move and struggled against his grip, but he was stronger than me. He didn’t impose his power on me, afraid it will lose his control over my comrades. Every single one of them watched me with expressions of pure, unfiltered terror and shame. Terrified that I was going to die, and ashamed that they weren’t able to do anything about it.

“In fact, I can kill two birds with one stone,” Minseok said, brushing the tip of the dagger against my chest. My heart quickened. I held my breath, trying to maintain the distance between my chest and the dagger.

“If Baekhyun feels your pain, would he feel the effects of a silver dagger if I stab you with it?” Minseok asked, and my eyes widened in shock at the realization of his plan.

Before I could do anything, Minseok thrusted the knife right into my beating heart. My breath was knocked out of my lungs, and I found myself gasping for air as I fell to the ground. My arms trembled at this uncontrollable pain and tears dwelled in my eyes from the shock. The sound of my ragged breathing cancelled out everyone’s tormented cries and shouts.

I had to get the silver dagger out before the pain transferred to Baekhyun’s heart. Even if I would lose more blood, Baekhyun’s survival was more important. I had promised the king to help Baekhyun become king, and I wasn’t going to break it now.

Quickly, I tightened my grip around the dagger and began pulling it out. I felt its sharp edges tear on my skin once more, ripping my flesh apart. Every move made me yell in pain, and I bit my tongue to stop myself from screaming. As soon as the dagger was out, the blood continued to spurt. I pressed my hands to my chest, feeling myself shiver at the realization that the blood wasn’t stopping.

Then, a piercing cry startled me, from the voice I had known too well. I looked up at Baekhyun, seeing him fallen on the floor, his arms mirroring mine, clutching his heart for the blood I’m spilling. He felt my pain. He felt my bleeding. And then he began to shout cries of agony, his body jumping in spasms. He was feeling all sorts of things I didn’t.

It was the silver dagger. 

Minseok’s theory was right. Baekhyun _could_ feel the pain of a silver dagger because of me, because of our soulmate bond. The king was wrong. Our bond was a weakness. Baekhyun would die because of his wretched connection to me.

If our bond was the impending cause of Baekhyun’s doom, there was only one thing I could do to save him.

With trembling hands, I used the last bit of my strength to retrieve the vial from my top, hoping in fate’s name that Minseok hadn’t been lying. I drank the red potion infused with my blood and swallowed it in one big gulp.

This was my final move.

I broke the soulmate bond.


	31. Creation (M)

**\- Baekhyun’s POV -**

The pain was excruciating. I lost control of my body. It was like my limbs no longer belonged to me, and my body arched and twisted like a possessed soul. I heard the thunderous heartbeat in my ear, racing at an alarming rate that defied a living person’s pace; as if the quicker it beat, the sooner it would come to a complete stop. A raging heat dwelled over my whole body, starting from my chest, spreading out to the entirety of my arms and legs. Vampires had always been creatures of the cold. Our body was not made to endure this amount of heat; these flames of hell. I continued yelling, wishing I had something cold to pour over me. But it was no use. My power could not solve this. Nothing could. This would be the end of me.

Until suddenly, the pain disappeared. Completely.

I let out a staggering breath, feeling my entire body tremble from the sensation that had nearly killed me. I looked at my hand, clenching and unclenching my fingers to test my control. It was as if nothing had happened at all. Somehow, the effects of the silver dagger were nullified.

I looked up, a new surge of confidence in me, until I saw my soulmate sprawled out on the floor, her feet still cemented in my father’s icy blood. The silver dagger was lying by her side and her clothes were drenched in red. But in her hand was the vial that was supposed to break the soulmate bond—empty and spotless.

She drank it.

Yeonji drank it.

Slowly, I got up on my feet, the strength a big jest. How could I regain control over body while my soulmate laid motionless on the floor? No, surely this was another trick. She always had many tricks up her sleeve—all sorts of manipulations that I’ve furtively admired her for. Yeonji was stronger than this. She wouldn’t succumb to my brother’s deceit. 

“Yeonji, get up,” I said, my voice frail and fragile, as if any moment, it would shatter against my chest.

I stepped forward, nearing the throne where she laid. I cared not about my surroundings. Everytime a vampire tried to attack, I created a wall divider of stone. Nothing could stop me from reaching my soulmate.

My feet halted just before the steps, taking a full look at her limp body. She foolishly took out the dagger to save me, even if it meant she’d lose more blood. She knew the damage of the weapon could not be undone unless she drank the potion. 

She saved me.

I knelt down by her side, reality striking me hard. Carefully, I took her head in my arms, cradling it close against my chest. She no longer extruded any warmth. She had nearly gone as cold as a vampire. I watched for any sign of movement, but her eyes never fluttered open, and the pulse of her heart was gone.

“Yeonji, sweetheart, my love,” I called, hoping that one of these terms of endearment would awake her. I placed my hand against her cheek, refusing to believe that the cold of her skin could not regain its warmth. Maybe if I caressed her more or rubbed a little harder. Maybe if I kissed her forehead in the way that always made her hide a smile, she’d regain her consciousness. That was what it was, wasn’t it? A temporary pass out because of the shock. She’d come by soon.

“Wake up,” I spoke, barely hearing my own voice. I don’t know how many times I kept lulling the words, speaking them like a chant, offering a prayer to the cruel fates who had let this happen. I took her hands in mine, gripping her steady despite the blood coating them, and pathetically planted meaningless kisses on them. It had lost the resolve of the touch I loved to hold against me, warm and tender, accepting and loving. Now, it was chiseled as hard as stone, barely human.

I shook my head, brushing my lips against her fingers. She’d come by. She’d awake. She’d be by my side again. I wasn’t ready to lose her when I had only recently found her. My soulmate. My love. My queen.

“Foolish, brother!” Minseok’s piercing cackle shattered through the air, disturbing my grief. I looked up, instinctively holding Yeonji closer against me, a move which my brother appraised with a dark glint of amusement in his eyes. “Your human is dead. A silver dagger could kill a vampire, but any sharp object could kill a human.”

“She’s not dead!” I yelled, my voice shaking and breaking all over. My mind reminded me that she had been completely still in my arms and that I haven’t felt the slightest caress of her breath against my arms, but the stubborn part in me denied it.

“Of course. I could resurrect her as one of my puppets if you’d like,” Minseok suggested, and at that moment, I felt Yeonji’s fingers twitch in mine. My heart leaped with joy, but when I looked down, her expression hadn’t changed and the heat hadn’t returned. This was Minseok’s power.

“Look at your pathetic state. How can you be so delighted with a single movement?” Minseok laughed. “Here, I shall breathe life into her once again, after I have tasted her blood.”

Yeonji began to turn in my grip, and my heart shattered once more seeing my strong soulmate easily controlled by my brother’s power. She would never let anyone defeat her without putting up a fight, a fight she would normally win.

That’s right. Our battle wasn’t over yet.

Yeonji would kill me if she knew I gave up here. Despite the people we’ve lost, we had to keep going.

“Like I said, do not touch her, brother,” I spoke through gritted teeth, creating another block of wall and pushing it against my brother. Yeonji’s movements went limp again, and I took this chance to hold her in my arms. I conjured an ice pick, aiming it at the block of ice that imprisoned her feet. Then I carried her back to where the others were. Everyone wore similar expressions of devastation and loss, both humans and vampires alike. And even now, I couldn’t help but admire her ability to win over the people of my kind. She was the perfect queen.

A cloud of mist surrounded us immediately, and I knew Jihye had drowned the entire room in clouds of mist to conceal our location and give us a short moment of privacy.

“Is she really…?” Jihye then asked, swallowing her words when her gaze fell on Yeonji. I heard the small strain in her breath, each release more uncontrollable than before. “You know, I hate it when she always talks back to me, but I hate it more when she doesn’t. Being quiet does not fit her.”

Even Lay had abandoned another fighter to rush to Yeonji’s side. He laid his hands above her heart, moving his fingers to release the healing orbs upon her. We watched as the movement of his fingers turned more frantic, trying to release more and more healing power, but none of which managed to open her eyes or return her consciousness. I heard the whimper of Lay’s voice as he looked up at me, eyes wide and glazed. He shook his head, and we all knew what it meant.

This was no time to mourn, but I could barely hold my emotions when everyone else began to break out into tears. The sobs in my chest were uncontrollable, and I couldn’t release her idle body from my arms of grief.

Many times, I had hurt because of the physical pain of our soulmate bond. But no affliction could ever compare to this deep sense of agony from losing her. It felt like someone tore my chest open to rip out my heart, and honestly, I would’ve let them. What was the point of living when my other half was gone?

But then, her words sprung back to my mind.

_"Worse comes to worse, you must drink my blood. I am ready to die for you.”_

All over again, I felt myself breaking apart, my walls tumbling down. Yeonji was prepared to give her all during this battle, even if it meant losing her life. She would not back down until I got the throne. How could I carelessly discard her final efforts to win? Yeonji wouldn’t want that. She had a greater vision for our kingdom, and her sacrifice was a stepping stone into achieving it. 

“Everyone,” I began, wiping at the corner of my eyes, “If I lose myself drinking her blood, then please, stop me. You may kill me, if you must.”

“What? But Your Highness, who would be king if you die as well?” Ahreum asked, her voice strained with panic. “I am certain Yeonji did not break your soulmate bond only for you to die as well.”

“Indeed. Do not speak of such ill adversaries when nothing has been set in stone,” Mira reprimanded me. “I can see the future, but it is possible to change depending on the choices we make.”

“Does the future include Yeonji?” I asked, and to my surprise, she hesitantly bit her lips. Was it an indication that Yeonji wasn’t dead yet? That we could bring her back? Or was the truth too devastating for her to admit to? 

Either way, we had to make the next move. I looked at the nape of Yeonji neck, overcome by anger when I spotted Minseok’s bite mark and the small amount of blood that had drizzled out. My brother had the audacity to drink from her, to taste her blood in the forbidden manner our forefathers used to practice. Was I supposed to succumb to such lowly manners as well?

“Our future king is too classy for that kind of barbaric blood drinking method,” Junmyeon’s voice interrupted, and as the mist began to dissolve, I watched him swirl his hands, using his powers to gather the bits of blood Yeonji had lost from being stabbed. The blood floated through the air, making its way towards us, and I instinctively conjured a chalice for him to put it in. 

“Now that looks more proper,” he said, encouraging me to drink it.

I looked at the cup of blood, feeling conflicted. It was what Yeonji would’ve wanted me to do, but it felt morally incorrect. But if this could truly give me more strength, then it was our way to win. 

I placed the chalice to my lips, taking a small sip before I drank it in full. The taste of her blood had always been as sweet as honey on my tongue, and intoxicating like a drug rushing through my system. It made my heart gallop in irregular rhythms, and I had always mistaken it as my uncontrollable desire for her. But perhaps it was something else entirely. Even now, I could hear the heartbeat pulsing in my ear, the veins beneath my wrist inflating along with the beat. I felt a sudden rush, an electric current running through the course of my body bearing unbelievable power I couldn’t contain. And if I didn’t let it out, I feared my body would break.

Unlike Ahreum’s tale, I did not lose my sanity. Yeonji trusted that I would be able to control myself, and she was right.

I let Ahreum hold Yeonji in her arms, shifting her carefully despite this waking energy surging in me. The power was limitless. It was grand. It begged to be released.

So I stretched an arm out toward my brother, unleashing the newfound energy, and hundreds of silver spears appeared around him. Remarkable. My previous power had been limited to a dozen spears, and creating an abundance of silver weapons was beyond my ability, but Yeonji’s blood had given me incredible strength.

I clenched my palm into a fist, and every spear obeyed, flying towards Minseok. I watched my brother moving his fingers, the movement slower than his usual swiftness. Had he gotten lethargic or were my perception of time enhanced? 

From the corner of my eye, I noticed him trying to maneuver our father to stand before him, to act as his shield again. I moved my hands, and this time, the silver spears halted in time, merely several inches away from my father’s already torn up body.

“You’ve gotten stronger, brother. Why don’t you let me have a taste of the eximius too?” Minseok cunningly said, triggering me to unleash my fury on him.

“Protect Yeonji, no matter what!” I bellowed to the others, and I sensed them forming a shield around Ahreum who still held my soulmate in her arm.

But then, for the slightest second, Minseok’s lips dipped into a menacing smirk, and he moved his hand.

We heard a feminine yell, and even with my accelerated speed, I couldn’t do anything when Heejin was snatched from Lay’s hold. She was already so fragile and thin, unable to have Lay reverse her stolen blood. And now, we watched in panic when her feet slumped towards Minseok in a way that defied the human anatomy. We heard bones cracking and Heejin’s screaming. Then, to our horror, the bones actually jutted out from her flesh, poking out from her dislocated knee.

“My beloved human, you do love me, don’t you?” Minseok said, snatching Heejin by the hair once she made her way over to him. Her eyes were drenched in tears and her cheeks filled with dry trails of it. Drool hung from the side of her mouth, trailing after every helpless plea she had screamed. 

“Brother, stop this madness! You have harmed her enough,” I said. My mind relentlessly tried to think of solutions and ideas, wondering what I could do to prevent this. But Yeonji was always the one who knew what to do in the pinch of time. 

“Oh? How about exchanging this mortal for another mortal?” Minseok asked, the smirk lingering deeper when he knew I couldn’t agree to it. “I thought so.”

He sank his teeth into Heejin’s neck. No, not just his teeth, but his entire mouth. He chunked into her flesh, tearing it apart like a wild carnivore, drawing out terrified cries from her. Her blood gushed out, and he let it spurt on his face, drawing it into his gaping mouth and extending tongue. He devoured Heejin until her whimpers turned into silence, and the vigor of her limbs went completely still. By the time he threw her body aside, she was no longer breathing.

“Now, surely drinking a whole human would make me more powerful than you who drank an eximius’s spilled blood,” Minseok spoke. “Since you’re unwilling to give her up, I could consume more human blood.”

This time, it was Jongin who felt a sudden pull against his body, like an invisible chain was reeling him towards Minseok. The mortal screamed, his hands swaying to us for help.

I had to do something.

The first thing I could think of was to create a lever or podium beneath my brother’s feet, moving it wildly to throw him off balance. His control over Jongin faded, and Junmyeon quickly used the gentle flow of water residues to catch him.

“Very well, let’s see if you can stop this,” Minseok began his second attack, moving his fingers like a puppeteer. All at once, every dead body began to move. Their arms jutted out and their legs sprung to life. Each stood upright despite missing an eye, having a sword through their chest, or suffering from other injuries.

Minseok was powerful enough to control an entire army of death.

“Your Highness,” I heard Mira call out to me. “Do not be limited by the knowledge of the past. An eximius’ blood is supposed to be a weapon of mass destruction. Your ability to create is unlimited to your imagination.”

Was this a clue? Had she foreseen something? All this time I had been worked up about creating objects and weapons, but what if I could mirror Minseok and draw some inspiration from his attack? What if... I could create an army of my own?

As Minseok’s dead puppets charged on us, I worked with my fingers fast. The power in me like a buzzing energy waiting to be used, ready to explode. It had no use for simple tricks like the silver spear. It was capable of something more grandiose. I shut my eyes and gritted my teeth, willing myself to create what I’ve never done before.

Out of the ground, bodies of vampires and humans appeared, each wearing the royal knighthood uniform. None of them were faces I recognized. None of them had a heartbeat. They were an army I had created.

But surely my power could go beyond this. I created weapons for them, each reminiscing of Yeonji’s requests for me. Darts, throwing stars, swords… I made my army as proficient a fighter as my soulmate was.

My army fought off Minseok’s dead ones. Everytime one of my men were hit, sand and dirt was spilled instead of blood. But everytime Minseok’s men was cut, blood splattered out. I had to remember they were real people, and tried to think of a way to disarm them without hurting their bodies. They may have already passed, but they did not deserve the degradation.

All of a sudden, a splatter of poison was shot at me. Before I could defend myself, Junmyeon had already stopped it in time. The attack continued from different sides, but Junmyeon twirled around, shooting his arms forward to return the poison to its attacker, Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo threw another splash of poison at me, and this time, it hit my cheek. I hissed at the unexpected pain, feeling like it had been clawed open by unseen nails, lit ablaze by untamed fire. 

Junmyeon let out a scream, and despite my own pain, I spotted his wrists bound together by an invisible chain. Minsok had stripped him off his power.

As Kyungsoo got ready to attack, a new idea entered my mind. I could create an army out of nothing, but could I also create a clone out of someone? I moved my hands, conjuring the thought in my head, feeling energy being released out of me. 

When I opened my eyes, a make-belief Kyungsoo stood before me. Incredible. Could he, perhaps, attack as the real Kyungsoo could?

I created a pool of water, letting it float in the open space before him to use. Then I moved my hands to weave motion into him, and immediately, fake Kyungsoo changed the water into a dangerous substance that smelled of toxic and chemicals.

“Disable, sight,” Ahreum’s voice rang behind me.

Then Jongdae appeared from the side, moving too quick for the untrained eye, but in my heightened state, I could follow his movements perfectly. He ran to the throne, knocking Minseok over, thus releasing Minseok’s grip on Junmyeon and the dead army.

Junmyeon quickly used this opportunity to move towards the bed of toxic water and punched the empty space before it, triggering the water to shoot out towards the enemy like dart pins.

“Disable, sense of balance,” Ahreum added, and this time, Kyungsoo was unable to escape. He fell down on the floor, showered by a rain of toxic droplets. It dissolved into his skin, melting him like the wax on a burning candle.

The same splatters were about to hit Minseok when a shield of steel suddenly appeared before him, protecting him from our attack. I was not too surprised when Chanyeol appeared, using his steel manipulation ability.

“Was that it? Was that all you’ve got?” Minseok asked, letting out a mocking laughter that matched the grimness of his face. “Well then, it’s my turn to strike again.”

He manipulated his dead puppets to approach him, ones whose faces I did not recognize. Each took out their sword in eerie synchronization and as if an internal countdown had gone off, they simultaneously plunged their swords into the side of their neck, twisting it deeper to cut it open. Their head lulled sideways, barely held together by strands of skins and dangling veins, spilling blood everywhere. But Minseok soon took control, commanding each beheaded man to angle their blood right into his waiting mouth.

It was a disgusting and horrendous sight, even more so when Minseok’s body underwent a sudden transformation. The muscles, bones, and flesh under his skin began to move, like a different creature was living within him and tried to claw its way out. He began to grow in size; his muscles enhanced, his shoulders broadened, his body enormous. The black of his iris dissolved completely, lost in the endless red that had taken over his entire eye. The fangs of his teeth grew akin to that of a wild predator.

The tales were right. Drinking too much human blood would make one lost its sanity. My brother had lost himself to the monster living within him.

Even as Ahreum returned to disable Minseok’s sight, he seemed not to care. His other senses had been heightened, and he followed his sense of smell or hearing to detect the presence around him. It didn’t take long before he leaped besides Kyungsoo, the floor shattering at his landing.

“Y-Your Highness,” Kyungsoo stammered, possibly pleading to be avenged. But I soon realized that the desperation in his voice had been for mercy. The beast that was once Minseok took Kyungsoo by the head, a small thing compared to the monstrous size of his fingers. In one savage motion, he placed Kyungsoo in his mouth, eating through his flesh, ripping his lower body apart from his upper torso. 

“Uhm, I guess trying to negotiate with Minseok is no longer an option,” Jongin spoke, stepping back in fear.

Minseok let out a beastly roar, the sound of a devil’s offspring, bringing darkness and nightfall along with it. It stepped closer towards us, his nostrils sniffing out our presence.

“I can only disable one sense at a time,” Ahreum panicked, contemplating whether to stop his sight or sense of smell.

“Disable his smell, and I could create more mist to hide our whereabouts,” Jihye suggested.

“Or,” I interrupted, my brain thinking fast. “I could clone you.”

The two girls looked at me, and even I was hesitant by my own suggestion. I had replicated Kyungsoo once, but how many times could I clone the same person? I put my uncertainty aside and focused all my energy on the thought of conjuring my comrade. I felt the energy drain out of me, delighted to be of use, impatient to create more. Out of nothing, I created a replica of Ahreum. Not just once, but twice, thrice, and more.

“Now!” I commanded, moving my fingers to get them to work.

“Disable, hearing.”

“Disable, smell.”

“Disable, touch.”

The Minseok beast stood still in the middle of the room, confused on what to do when he was stripped off every senses. It looked around him, waiting for one of his senses to return, but my power controlled the Ahreum clones, and each were as strong as the energy I’ve put into them.

“This is amazing,” the real Ahreum spoke, awestruck to see herself at work.

“Now if I frolicked with one of your clones, would it be considered cheating?” Jongin wondered out loud, and I almost wanted one of the Ahreum clones to disable Jongin’s speech. It was no time for his jest when the battle wasn’t over yet.

“Your Highness, now is the time,” Mira then informed. “If you want to defeat Prince Minseok, you must do it now.”

I did not want to know what would happen if I was a second too late and quickly began to work. I created bronze chains to tie around Minseok’s body. Bronze wasn’t as sturdy as steel, but I couldn’t risk Chanyeol’s interruption. I commanded my army to hold the chains from each side, holding my brother steady like a wild animal on rampage. The others surrounded me, ready to provide assistance if anything went amiss.

Daringly, I walked up towards my brother who was struggling against the restraints. He no longer spoke our vocabulary, occasionally letting out devilish cries and frightening howls instead. In my hand, I conjured a silver sword that bore the ability to stop a vampire’s heart from beating for an eternity. I did not want to kill my brother, but if he weren’t stopped, he’d kill more innocent people. Sometimes, one soul could not be spared in order to save a nation.

I strode forward with resolve in every step, getting ready to jump at the beast, when suddenly, his dead army blocked my path. Though Minseok could not use his senses, he managed to control his army through the mind alone, no longer needing the fancy movements of his fingers. The beheaded men knocked my army down, releasing Minseok from his chains. He began to move around wildly, smashing everything and anything in its path. I created a wall of rock before me to shield myself from being demolished.

All of a sudden, Minseok turned its head towards me, as if it managed to spot me despite having all his senses disabled. He never had to run, for he had become powerful enough to control my movements, rendering me still in one place, like a sacrificial lamb awaiting its doom. From the side, all sorts of weapons—daggers, swords, and spears alike—flew towards me. I used my energy to part the floor beneath Minseok, flipping it once so he would fall off balance. But the move did not stop his total concentration as the objects flew straight at me. I needed to create a shield for myself, but every time I tried to move my hands, my fingers were numbed.

“Your Highness!” The others yelled, a chaotic shrill cry.

This was it. My impending doom. My shameful failure. Yeonji had given her life for me, and even so, I’d die without victory. I failed to save this kingdom and our people with it. I closed my eyes, readying myself for a disgraceful death.

But when the weapons hit me, they merely pushed at my chest, a small poke instead of a bloody penetration. Each weapon clattered to the ground, and to my surprise, the sharp edges had been dulled. 

“Your fiancee spared me once,” Chanyeol spoke from the side, biting his lips. “If we could truly live in a system where being spared was an option, I’d like to be a part of it.”

Everytime someone vouched for Yeonji’s good deed, I couldn’t help but feel proud for she was mine. Even if she was no longer here, her actions would live on as a legacy. Her choices of mercy would lead to the kingdom’s better future.

“All of you, we need to strike together for this to work,” Mira said, and we understood it was the only possibility of winning she had foreseen. We had no time to plan, to discuss, or to strategize. Right now, we only had each other and the raw desire to protect our kingdom.

Jongin jumped into the battlefield, throwing several devices that attached themselves to Minseok. It beeped, red lights flashing off, and then exploded. The beast hurled a few steps backwards and fell over, but the shock barely injured him.

A cloud of mist began to envelop him, courtesy to Jihye. But she was never trained well enough to control her mist, only knowing how to produce and retract them. However, mist was still made up of small droplets of water, thus allowing Junmyeon to maneuver it. He led the mist to bind itself around Minseok’s hands and legs. Then the fake Kyungsoo I had created finished it off by turning the mist to ice, a solid chain restraining Minseok to the ground. Even Chanyeol manipulated the steel swords to form a fort around Minseok for extra precaution.

“Alright, little brother,” I said, looking at Jongdae who got ready by cracking his knuckles. “I suppose it’s our turn.”

“I guess so,” he said, stretching his legs.

“Ahreum, I need one last favor from you,” I told the real Ahreum and whispered my final plan in her ear. When she nodded, I took my stance beside my brother.

“Ready?” He asked.

I conjured a silver sword in one hand—long and sturdy like a legendary weapon from ancient times—and placed my other arm around Jongdae’s shoulder. He adjusted his grip around my waist, and I felt him tighten it out of his own anxiety.

“Now!” Mira yelled. Our cue.

We didn’t have much time before Minseok’s would regain perception of his surroundings. With Jongdae’s agility, we accelerating towards our brother, defying gravity. I held the sword up in front of me, and Jongdae placed his hand around mine for extra support, ensuring I wouldn’t falter my hold against the stampede.

Then, in one clean strike, we plunged the sword right into Minseok’s chest.

“Disable, pain,” Ahreum whispered.

We held our breath. We dared not blink our eyes. We watched the creature remaining still, never experiencing the spasms of torture I had felt. He didn’t feel hell’s fiery pit burning up his soul. It was the final act of mercy I could bestow upon him despite his unforgivable transgressions.

We barely saw a change in his outer appearance, not knowing whether we had won or lost, until we noticed his chest ceasing to move.

It was over.

“We did it!” Jongin was the first to yell. He carried the real Ahreum in his arms, spun her in circles, and kissed her lips. “I can’t believe we did it. We saved the kingdom!”

The rest of my comrades began to cheer and cry, hugging the person beside them. They needed the physical touch to prove that, despite the bloodbath, they had survived.

And yet, despite our acclaimed victory, another battle had been lost. We failed to protect too many people, losing their souls. I dragged myself back to where Lay lied, his hands continuing to inject healing orbs into my soulmate. I was hoping that she’s open her eyes at any moment now, but she never did.

Realization coursed through me that Yeonji was really gone. She wouldn’t come back. I took her in my arms, wrapping her body entirely against mine, hoping that the feeling of my cold skin could surprise her back to life. But it didn’t.

Tears began to rip its way out of my eyes, breaking forth my fort of defenses, letting me cry a river of regret. I’ve lost the only person who believed I could be a good king, not because I was a better alternative than my brother, but because she believed I had the right vision. My heart was elated and in complete disbelief when my father relaid to me of their encounter, how she had bravely stood up for my beliefs when my father doubted me. 

That was the brutally honest, reckless, and strong person Yeonji was. My biggest regret was never telling her how much I truly loved her. And now, I’d never have the chance to.

“Your Highness,” Mira said, her voice tender as if she was afraid that speaking too harsh could break me more. She placed a hand on my shoulder, and I realized the others had gathered around us. “I do hope you realize the extent of your new powers.”

I blinked the tears from my eyes, swallowing a salty drop inside my mouth. “What do you mean?”

“You are a hundred times stronger than before since you have consumed the blood of an eximius. And based on the future I have foreseen, you haven’t used your abilities to the fullest yet,” Mira said.

I stared at her blankly. There were times when I loathed her riddled-like speeches while she could have gotten straight to the point.

“What are you implying? I created a clone of Kyungsoo and replicated Ahreum,” I reasoned, surprised that they hadn’t vanished now after the battle was over.

“Indeed, Your Highness. Your have the power of creation,” Mira said, her lips grazing into a soft smile. “You can create _life_.”

My eyes widened. My heart drummed against my chest. My breathing quickened erratically. She was right. I hadn’t used my power to the fullest.

“If you had foreseen the future, why did you withhold it from me?” I then asked, feeling my own voice shiver.

“Because the only way to defeat your brother was to fight as if you had nothing else to lose,” Mira answered. “But the truth is, you hadn’t lost her.”

I looked down at Yeonji’s lifeless body in my trembling hand. Lay’s power had been to heal her wounds, and he had done exactly that. But what Yeonji needed wasn’t healing; she needed life. She needed her heart to beat again.

And the only person who could create it, was me.


	32. Aftermath

Sometimes I wondered whether I was really alive. Many times, I would place my hand against my chest, feeling the soothing rhythm of my heart. _Badump, badump, badump._ It showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Everytime I spotted my soulmate—no, he was no longer my soulmate. That bond was broken when I drank the potion to save his life. And in turn, he saved mine. Everytime I spotted Baekhyun, I knew he was the only person who made my heart beat, quite literally. He was the reason I’m alive.

As I sat on the right hand side of his throne, I watched with profound awe and pride as we resumed the long overdue coronation ritual. Things were different now. The king, no longer here, had written a will for his second born to be his true heir. Minseok was no longer present to rally the vampires against me. And the vampires dared not lay a hand on the mortal who conquered death. They looked at me with fear in their eyes, as if I was a phantom. Perhaps I was—I was no longer certain.

“I shall now crown you king of Addrelida,” Mira chanted out loud, holding the king’s crown in her outstretched arms. With the precision of a reliable royal advisor, she placed the crown on top of Baekhyun’s head.

“Lo and behold, our new king of Addrelida, King Baekhyun!”

The audience began to cheer, each projecting their own jubilee at this joyous occasion. None showed an expression of opposition, and I’d like to bask in the belief that we’d win their loyalty someday.

The ones who had fought by our side were all present. I had only heard their stories of how we managed to attain victory, but their scars would serve as an eternal memento or our trophy. Jihye stood besides Jongdae, hands intertwined, heads pressed together. She no longer lusted after Baekhyun, the man who was my present and my future, and learned to love Jongdae again. Junmyeon became our new high ranked general, leading troops into splashy battles. Ahreum and Jongin, along with the other couples, were welcomed within the walls of the castles at any time they liked. Chanyeol had become our personal guard, cause after all that happened, he chose to save us even when he could’ve killed us. 

My heart broke a little every time I failed to spot Heejin’s smiling face among the crowd. I failed to protect the one I considered my own sister. But I promised myself to watch over Baekhyun and make sure that he’d free humanity from slavery and treat both our kinds as equal. That was the least I could do to persevere the ideal utopia we had both sought after. 

“And for the first time ever throughout the history of Addrelida,” Mira continued, “Our very first mortal queen, Queen Yeonji.” 

I was surprised when she appeared behind me, placing what I assumed was a crown on my head. I failed to conceal my shock, hearing people cheer even louder for me. Not once had I imagined the people to desire a mortal ruler, but after the tales of our battle was passed down from person to person, we had become some sorts of living legends. We weren’t just regal leaders, we were their heroes.

Then my gaze fell on Baekhyun, him who looked at me beyond my limitations, beyond my wrongs, beyond my race, and beyond everything I failed to be. He looked at me seeing the beauty in my flaws and the perfection in my imperfections, like I was the most important person in his life. And my heart believed it to be true, cause he had given me a second chance at living.

He stretched an arm out to me, and I was quick to reciprocate, eager to feel his cold skin against my warm one, a juxtaposing force of opposites who found comfort in one another. He guided me by his side and snaked a hand around my waist, holding me close for all to see. With his other free hand, he began to wave at his subjects while plastering a perfect smile on his face. I mimicked him.

“What now?” I whispered, still awkward with my new title as the queen.

“Now, I’ll show the entire kingdom how much I love you,” he spoke, grinning impishly before he rested a hand against my cheek and leaned in for a deep kiss, one which received jubilant cheers from our subjects.

“You love me,” I said, more like a statement than a question. I don’t know what he had concluded during the time I had been dead, but somehow it had come to this. My lips curled into a giddy smile against my will.

“I will love you for all eternity,” Baekhyun whispered so that only the two of us could hear it.

“That is a long time,” I said.

“Well, sweetheart, you better get used to it. Cause I plan on proving it to you, again and again, for as long as we live,” he grinned.

Sometimes I wondered whether I was really alive. But as my heart pressed against my chest, beating faster and faster, I knew for certain I was very much alive. I was no longer fully mortal, but neither was I a vampire. I would live for as long as Baekhyun did, for he was the keeper of my heart.

I clasped my hands around his cheek, caring not for our audience as I touched our foreheads together. “And until then, I promise to always love you back.”

How endearing it was to see his face flush red. I didn’t know he’d be embarrassed at such words, and it made me want to lavish him with more and more, proud I was the only person who had such effects on him.

He pulled me into another kiss, his lips tenderly pressed against mine, and I tangled my arms around his head to kiss him back. 

It was a kiss that spoke of eternal promises and lost sacrifices, of second chances and new beginnings, of fated bonds and the free choices.

Baekhyun was no longer my soulmate, but I love him all the same. We endured many hardships and shed too much blood since our first encounter up until this moment. Even so, I’d be willing to give my blood for him all over again, whether it is to strengthen or protect him.

I love him, and I’ll prove it through my bleeding love.  


_Fin._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that marks the end of this story!  
> Aaaaahhh I had a LOT of fun writing this even though I had to take many breaks due to writing my book.  
> It was the first time I tried writing something like this, and I'm super grateful for all your feedback and enthusiasm. I honestly don't think I'd be as excited if it weren't for you guys being so excited and eager to read more.  
> I hope that the ending was satisfying enough for you~
> 
> If you enjoy it, please do upvote it :D  
> I reaaaally thank you for reading and commenting and upvotes.  
> You don't know how much it means to me. Thank you!  
> You guys are the best! <3
> 
> Who wants a sequel?   
> If many people are interested and I can somehow manage to get an idea, I'm willing to write it.  
> So please let me know in the comments~


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